LONDON: Wolverhampton Wanderers ended a wait since April for a Premier League win by beating fellow strugglers Southampton 2-0 on Saturday, while Fulham moved into the top six by inflicting more misery on Crystal Palace.

Wolves boss Gary O’Neil was under huge pressure to deliver after a 13-game winless run in the top-flight and got the perfect start when Pablo Sarabia swept home Matheus Cunha’s pass for the club’s fastest ever Premier League goal.

Cunha smashed home a stunning second goal himself early in the second period to give Wolves a vital three points which sees Southampton replace them at the bottom of the table.

Fulham beat Palace 2-0 at Selhurst Park with goals from Emile Smith Rowe and Harry Wilson while the home side were reduced to 10 men when Daichi Kamada saw red for a dangerous tackle.

Fulham dominated the first half and their pressing yielded the goal when Smith Rowe nicked the ball from Maxence Lacroix and surged forward before getting it back from Raul Jimenez to open the scoring.

Kamada was sent off for lunging into a studs-up tackle on Kenny Tete in the 76th minute and Fulham took full advantage of the extra man when Wilson was put through on goal by Alex Iwobi and the Welsh winger scored his third in two games.

Wilson had another goal ruled out by VAR for handball but Fulham sealed victory to provisionally move up to sixth in the standings with 18 points while Palace are 17th, one point above the relegation zone.

Brentford striker Yoane Wissa netted two goals as his side twice came from behind to grab a 3-2 win over Bournemouth in a rip-roaring clash.

Bournemouth were gifted the opener in the 17th minute as Evanilson snapped up a bad back pass and rounded the keeper to score, but Wissa equalised with a header 10 minutes later to send the sides in level at the break.

Justin Kluivert put the visitors back in front shortly after halftime, only for Mikkel Damsgaard to level again just over a minute later, and Brentford took the lead for the first time in the 58th minute after Wissa finished a slick passing move with a cool chipped finish.

Lewis Cook struck the crossbar with a late effort but Brentford managed to hang on for a win that moved them up to 10th in the table on 16 points, one place and one point ahead of Bournemouth.

West Ham United and Everton did little to quell the discontent among both fanbases in a 0-0 draw.

There were loud boos at full-time at the London Stadium from the West Ham support, but a point does edge Everton four clear of the bottom three.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2024