Wolves’ fight for Premier League survival grows harsher after a 2-0 home defeat to Brentford left Rob Edwards’ team rooted to the bottom, with Matt Doherty demanding "soul-searching" from team-mates and warning that no one can hide from the club’s situation.
The loss at Molineux was Wolves’ 10th successive Premier League defeat, leaving the side with only two points from 17 matches and still without a win, while Brentford ended a run of four straight away league losses with Keane Lewis-Potter scoring both goals.
Defeat to Brentford means Wolves become only the fourth Premier League side to lose 10 league games in a row within one season, joining Sunderland, Aston Villa and Norwich, while also matching the longest winless start to a Premier League campaign,
a 17-game sequence previously reached by Sheffield United in 2020-21.
Across the top seven levels of English football, Wolves are the sole club yet to record a victory this season, underlining the depth of the crisis facing Edwards’ squad, who now sit bottom with a goal-shy attack, fragile confidence and a frustrated fanbase leaving Molineux early once again.
Doherty, now in a second stint at Wolves after more than a decade combined at the club, delivered a stark message about mentality and effort, stressing that performances must change on the pitch rather than through words, following another defeat that saw belief drain from both players and supporters.
Doherty told the club’s official website: "We're not finding it easy at all, we're very hurt, but we need to show up, we need to act. It's easy to say all these things, that we're hurt, but we just need to show more on the pitch. "
The defender pointed to the mood around Molineux, describing a lack of conviction in the stands and within the squad, and suggested the players appear nervous when leading, with fear of conceding and an anxiety about closing out matches affecting decision-making and intensity during key moments.
Doherty said: "You can see the stadium is nearly empty at the end, it's not full at the start, but we're just lacking belief that we can actually win the games. We're afraid and scared to win the game, almost nervous about actually going ahead in the game and having to try and hold on. We've just got to somehow keep trying to find something. "
Do we want to be remembered for fighting all the way to the end of season, or do we want to be remembered for being cowards and taking the easy option? Matt Doherty on #WOLBRE. pic.twitter.com/W1VfkMdjx5
Wolves (@Wolves) December 20, 2025
Wolves Premier League records and Doherty’s warning
After another scoreless outing, Doherty called for honest reflection inside the dressing room, urging players to question their attitudes and professional standards, with the defender suggesting that how this group responds over the coming months will shape how their time at the club is remembered.
Doherty said: "We need to do some soul-searching and have a look in the mirror and just figure out what we want to be remembered for at the club.Do we want to be remembered for fighting all the way to the end of the season? Or, do we want to be remembered for being cowards and taking the easy option, maybe trying to leave in January, or not fighting and training, and letting other people take your position?"
The defeat also placed Wolves alongside previous struggling teams in Premier League history, with their losing run and winless start now mirroring some of the division’s toughest seasons, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing Edwards and the current squad as the relegation battle intensifies.
| Team | Season | Consecutive League Defeats |
|---|---|---|
| Sunderland | 2002-03 | 10 |
| Aston Villa | 2015-16 | 10 |
| Norwich City | 2019-20 | 10 |
| Wolves | 2025-26 | 10 |
Wolves Premier League setback and Brentford response
For Brentford, the afternoon brought relief and satisfaction, as Lewis-Potter’s two second-half goals secured a first away league victory after four consecutive Premier League defeats on the road, lifting some pressure and validating adjustments made by the coaching staff ahead of the trip to Molineux.
The match also represented a personal landmark for Brentford’s interim leader Keith Andrews, a Wolves academy product who played once in the Premier League for the club in November 2003, before building a career elsewhere and later returning to top-flight level in a coaching role.
Reflecting on Brentford’s display, Andrews praised earlier away performances despite poor results and explained that the staff focused on tactical tweaks at half-time, knowing that Wolves under Edwards had been level at the interval in all five previous league matches, making defensive organisation and in-game adjustments crucial.
Andrews said: "I feel like a lot of the performances away from home have been good, but we haven't been on the right side of the results. [At the break] I said to them that in the five games Rob [Edwards] has been in charge, they have been drawing in every single game at half-time. It is not easy to break them down, but we tweaked a couple of things. "
The Brentford coach highlighted the group’s attitude across the week, pointing to hard work in training and a strong collective spirit, and suggested that such unity will remain important during future challenges, as results continue to fluctuate over the long Premier League season.
Andrews added: "The preparation and dedication of the group all week has been immense. The togetherness we have, it's a pleasure to be around. We want to progress, we want to have that mindset. There will be bumps in the road, that's the nature of the game, but the togetherness in the group is really impressive. "
Wolves now face the rest of the season with damaging records, low confidence and mounting pressure from supporters, while Brentford depart Molineux encouraged by a clean sheet and Lewis-Potter’s brace, leaving one club searching for identity and resilience, and the other hoping this win begins a steadier Premier League run.
