Marc Guéhi attacks Crystal Palace to deny Wolves their first league win of the season | first division

How many more chances will Gary O'Neil have to claim that elusive first league win of the season? Wolves, who deservedly trailed until Trevoh Chalobah's opener, managed to blow a second-half lead after two goals in five minutes from Jorgen Strand Larsen and João Gomes turned the tide. Crystal Palace. Perhaps the Wolves were guilty of thinking the hard work was already done.

For long periods Wolves played like a down-on-his-luck team and, given that they sacked their first manager on a set-piece last month, it was not a good idea for O'Neil that both of Palace's goals came from dead balls, Marc Guéhi eluding to your bookmark. substitute Gonçalo Guedes, in a corner to win a point. In the end, unusually, O'Neil thanked the VAR, which backed referee Anthony Taylor's decision to disallow Jean-Philippe Mateta's 96th-minute shot for a foul on José Sá. Crucially, however, O'Neil has lost local support.

Wolves started from last place after Southampton's first win of the season and the historical statistics were also ominous. Each first division The team that has obtained less than three points in its first 10 games has been relegated. At this point in the season, even the infamous Derby team who were relegated with just 11 points had six to their name. O'Neil has remained optimistic but, after facing a tough slate of games that saw them face seven of the current top nine, this game always seemed the obvious place for a pick-me-up. Even more so considering Palace, who named two goalkeepers on a youth bench, were without Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton due to aggravated injuries in their impressive midweek Carabao Cup victory at Aston Villa.

An early Palace chance, which culminated in a desperate block from Wolves centre-back Craig Dawson, did nothing to calm the nervousness among the home fans. Wolves needed a break but Will Hughes pounced on a loose pass from Pablo Sarabia and Ismaïla Sarr, played by Daichi Kamada, stepped forward, Palace now 3 on 3. Hughes came into the area to cut back and sent a first shot home. Sá lunged, Dawson threw his body in the road. If that created jitters in the Wolves defense, it was nothing compared to what followed just after the half-hour mark. Guéhi headed the ball after a short corner play and Chalaboh, unmarked three meters away, tried to shoot towards the goal. Chalaboh attempted a shot with his right foot, but the ball hit his left leg. Mateta then fired the rebound towards the goal, but it crashed into Chalobah. Mateta could only smile in disbelief.

Mateta caused Wolves problems, but the hosts eventually became a cheap game. Matheus Cunha sent a shot wide for the first time and then turned provider, delivering the ball to Sarabia with a nice pass that bounced. Sarabia tried to trick Dean Henderson, but the Palace goalkeeper did not buy his dummy and instead put the ball to safety with his left glove. Sarabia looked to the sky, Palace's away support chanting Henderson's name. Henderson got in the way again when Sarabia went one on one three minutes after the break, again taken advantage of by Cunha. Sarabia opted for power and shot towards the goal, which hit Henderson in the face.

The wolves were apathetic, the Palace was adventurous, and the visitors were rewarded in good time. Kamada took a short free kick to Hughes, whose left-footed cross entered the box. Strand Larsen headed in, but Sá had also moved forward to attack the ball, so Wolves gave Chalobah a chance at the far post, with the goal open. Chalobah chested the ball and finished it from a tight angle, a good finish. The wolves broke down and Sarr fired two minutes later. O'Neil made a triple changeup but had trouble stopping the bleeding. Sarr then made another deflected attempt.

Cunha rescued a point at Brighton last time out and equalized here. The Brazilian received a diagonal pass from Santiago Bueno, took the ball out of his feet with his next touch and then released Strand Larsen to his right to do the rest, the Norwegian sliding his shot between Henderson's legs.

Suddenly, take off. Wolves then turned this game on its head, Gomes with a low side foot into the corner at the end of a clever team move. Substitute Mario Lemina pirouetted to keep Kamada away, Cunha advanced and Guedes, another substitute, faced Gomes. Unfortunately for O'Neil, it wasn't the last act.