Nordi Mukiele On Target As Sunderland Sink Wolves To Continue Strong Start

Régis Le Bris looked concerned. “We tin consciousness nan danger,” said Sunderland’s head past week arsenic he suggested that a Wolves renaissance could beryllium conscionable information nan corner.

If so, that aged golden revival suffered a damaging hold connected an an day erstwhile Le Bris’s fears proved groundless arsenic Sunderland registered their 4th Premier League triumph successful 8 games since promotion. It leaves them pinch 14 points and surely group adjacent for survival.

The sky seems considerably cloudier for a Wolves squad still without a triumph and stuck to nan bottommost of nan array connected conscionable 2 points. Small wonderment their caput coach, Vítor Pereira, spent overmuch of nan lucifer shaking his caput arsenic Dan Ballard’s marking reduced his cardinal striker, Jørgen Strand Larsen, to anonymity and Enzo Le Fée’s intelligence destabilised a visiting ensemble that has evidently forgotten really to trial a goalkeeper, fto unsocial unafraid a victory.

Although a superb, tightly angled, decorativeness from Wilson Isidor soon saw nan Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone picking nan shot retired of nan backmost of his net, nan Sunderland striker was near smiling ruefully arsenic an offside emblem denied him a goal.

No matter; Isidor quickly had origin to congratulate Nordi Mukiele aft a slick move instigated by Le Fée’s defence confounding swivel and stellar reverse walk cleared nan measurement for a one-two involving Trai Hume and Mukiele.

It each concluded pinch nan erstwhile Paris Saint-Germain defender’s accomplished correct ft decorativeness evading Johnstone arsenic a by now acquainted look of weary resignation dispersed crossed Pereira’s face.

Pereira’s broadside person grounded to support a cleanable expanse successful nan Premier League this play and their latest concession simply served to corroborate nan fragility successful a Wolves backline that had looked susceptible each clip Mukiele directed 1 of his mighty agelong throws into their box.

Nordi Mukiele fires Sunderland into a first-half lead. Photograph: Scott Heppell/Reuters

One of those Mukiele missiles very astir prefaced Sunderland doubling their advantage but Hume headed against a station aft gathering Ballard’s flick on. Ballard mightiness subsequently person scored himself had he not headed Granit Xhaka’s area consecutive astatine Johnstone aft out-leaping a visiting defence many times destabilised by Le Fée’s near helping manoeuvres.

Despite nan overseas loose walk from a dominant, yet sometimes somewhat slapdash, Sunderland, Wolves near Robin Roefs virtually unemployed for prolonged periods.

Le Bris’s goalkeeper had still not been tested decently when, astatine nan outset of nan 2nd half, João Gomes and past Rodrigo Gomes dragged shots wide from an inviting positions.

Yet if Ballard continued to do a bully occupation successful subduing Strand Larsen, nan Norway striker’s teammates upped their crippled successful a 2nd play featuring expanding edginess among Sunderland’s now tense support.

Not that Wolves were capable to warrant specified anxiety. Indeed it was not until nan 70th infinitesimal that Pereira’s broadside directed their first changeable connected target erstwhile Roefs’ good prevention kept Marshall Munetsi’s volley out.

If that prompted relief, stoppage clip rapture was assured erstwhile Ladislav Krejci’s horribly sliced attempted clearance successful nan look of substitute Chemsdine Talbi’s attempted transverse ended up successful nan backmost of his ain nett aft flying beyond a wrongfooted Johnstone.