Wolves seek respite from doom at ‘favourite’ opponents Sunderland

By Brian Sears

13 April 2012

Wolves are trying desperately to extend their Premier League status into a fifth campaign but with a nine-point gap between themselves and safety already, and just five games to go, that looks a forlorn task.

There’s just no way to sugar that pill; it can’t be done.

Will there be any consolation on the way to the Championship though, any signs of life that might give hope that they’ll be back fighting before long?

Statistically they wouldn’t have expected any return from Wednesday’s game because Arsenal have proved their most difficult Premier League opponents of all.

But the other end of that spectrum comes into focus this weekend when Wolves play Sunderland, a team against whom they have gained more points in the Premier League than any other. How many? Twelve from five meetings. Four wins from five. The last four meetings, as it happens.

Only against two clubs have points gained by Wolves reached double figures: Fulham and Sunderland. The dozen points from Fulham have taken eight games to amass; the 12 from Sunderland took those five games.

Wolves’s full record in the Premier League by opponent is in the graphic below.

Fans might think there’s no better place to go to start picking up those vital wins than at the Stadium of Light. On the other hand …

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