Wolves will try to get their first Premier League home win of the calendar year on Sunday against Sheffield United.
Gary O’Neil is unconcerned about Wolves’ previous struggles at home, as the club prepares to welcome Sheffield United this weekend. Wolves have been in good form in recent weeks, winning five of their previous eight Premier League games, and they know a win over the Blades at Molineux will be enough to propel them into the top half of the table.
However, in order to leapfrog Chelsea, who are in Carabao Cup action this weekend, and get into the top ten, Wolves must achieve something they haven’t done since the beginning of the year: win at home. Wolves haven’t always performed well at home this season, and they’ve lost their previous two home games against Manchester United and Brentford.
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O’Neil, on the other hand, expects to see improvement this time around as they look to avenge their season-opening setback at Bramall Lane.
“Fine margins in the Manchester United game,” the Wolves manager explained. “We gave it our all, and I believe everyone had a good time, but we just came up on the losing end. The Brentford game left us unhappy in what we were able to deliver, but the lads are quite clear about why.
“We’re ready to go again; we don’t want to lose at home, but if we keep going the way we’re going in terms of points, whether they come home or away, I’m not too concerned as long as we keep picking up points and pushing on, doing our best in every game. It’s going to be a very hectic week, with three pretty demanding tests.”
On United’s challenge this week, O’Neil, fresh from Wolves’ victory over Spurs last weekend, said: “It’ll be a different game, a very different confrontation. Sheff United will set up differently than Spurs, and it will be a different test, but it is likely to be similar to a few of other ones we’ve faced recently, and we still haven’t figured out the best method to approach them. The lads’ understanding is developing.
“As Wolves, you don’t get a lot of chances to play teams that will allow you keep the ball. I’m not suggesting Sheffield United will do this, but they’ve been a back five for the majority of the season, so we should have more possession.
“We’ve been working this week on methods to improve while still carrying a threat, because I don’t expect there to be the same amount of space during transition. The game will feel slower, which has often irritated spectators at home, but that is how it will feel, and we must embrace it and find a way to win.”
