Wolves fire Vitor Pereira less than two months after signing new contract

Wolverhampton Wanderers have sacked head coach Vitor Pereira after a disastrous start to the Premier League season that has left them rooted to the bottom of the table without a win from 10 matches.

The Portuguese manager’s departure was confirmed today, less than two months after signing a new three-year contract that was meant to secure his long-term future at Molineux.

Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Fulham proved to be the final straw for the club hierarchy, with executive chairman Jeff Shi admitting that results and performances had “fallen below acceptable standards”.

Wolves have collected just two points all season and were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup at the last-16 stage following a 4-3 defeat to Chelsea. Their only positive results came from successive draws with Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton, both of which ended with late equalisers conceded.

Pereira’s dismissal marks a sharp turnaround from last season, when he took charge in December and guided Wolves to safety with a 16th-place finish after winning 10 of their final 22 league matches.

His work in stabilising the team earned him the new deal in September, but optimism quickly faded. Since a six-match winning run in April, Wolves have failed to win any of their 14 league games, losing 11 in that stretch.

The team’s struggles this season have included defeats to all three newly-promoted sides — Leeds United, Sunderland, and Burnley. Tensions between Pereira and the fanbase have also grown in recent weeks.

After the 3-2 home defeat to Burnley, he was seen arguing with supporters who had chanted “you’re getting sacked in the morning,” and the same chants echoed again at Craven Cottage yesterday.

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In a statement, Shi thanked Pereira for his efforts but said a change had become unavoidable. “Vitor and his team worked tirelessly for Wolves and helped guide us through a challenging period last season,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the start to this season has been a disappointment, and we have reached a point where we must make a change.”

All eight of Pereira’s backroom staff have also left the club. Under-21 coach James Collins and under-18 coach Richard Walker will oversee training while Wolves finalise the appointment of a new head coach.

Pereira’s tenure had been undermined by a turbulent summer in which key players Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri left for Manchester United and Manchester City respectively.

Several new recruits were brought in, but the squad has looked short of both quality and cohesion.

The search for a replacement is already under way, with Wolves now preparing for a difficult trip to Chelsea next weekend as they look to revive a season that is fast unravelling.

Pereira leaves Molineux having managed 32 league games, winning 10, drawing six and losing 16. His departure makes him the fifth permanent Wolves manager in four years.