Wolves manager Vitor Pereira explained why he clashed with the home fans at Molineux after his side went down 3-2 against Burnley on Sunday. This was Wolves' seventh defeat in their last nine Premier League matches as they continue to struggle at the bottom of the league table with just two points. Wolves are also the only club in all of England's top four divisions yet to win a game this season.
Wolves still searching for first win
Burnley took a two-goal lead within the first 30 minutes of the match as Zian Flemming scored a spectacular brace. The home team, however, bounced back before the halftime whistle with a couple of goals from Jorgen Strand Larsen and Marshall Munetsi. They fought hard in the second half and at one point, it seemed that they would walk away with at least a point, but Lyle Foster's 95th-minute strike broke Wolves' hearts as the Clarets claimed all three points from the away fixture.
With seven losses and two draws in their first nine Premier League games, Pereira's side are still rooted to the bottom of the table, six points behind 17th-placed Fulham.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportPereira explains clash with home fans
Following Foster's last-gasp winner, the crowd at Molineux started to boo the team. Pereira was also greeted by 'sacked in the morning chants', which prompted the Portuguese coach to angrily confront the home supporters, with staff members stepping in to hold him back.
At his post-match press conference, Pereira addressed the incident as he said: "We understand the frustration of the people and supporters but what I must say, if we fight united with them, we can win games and compete and achieve our targets – without them, it is impossible. If we win two or three games in a row, things will change. Two months ago they sang my name, because together with the work we did last season, we are competing in the Premier League and not Championship. Now they sing my name to sack me. If I was a supporter, I would feel proud of my team because they worked and showed the spirit, mentality and ambition to win the game, even losing 2-0 [after 30 minutes]."
He added: "If you fight for 90 minutes to win a game and in the last minute when the other team was trying to get a draw, wasting time to finish the game, defending in a low block to defend the result, even if we draw it was not fair. We deserved the three points but it's football. I feel proud of my players because they showed in a very difficult moment, the mentality, the team spirit, the organisation to try until the last minute to win the game."
Pereira not worried about his future
Despite the fan uproar, the 57-year-old remains confident of holding on to his position, as he added: "I'm not worried. It's not about me. It's about the club, the team and the players. My work is to help them to come again mentally strong for the next battle. Sometimes we have very difficult moments in our life that we have to suffer. What I saw in the dressing room was a team suffering. They did everything to get more from this game.
"What I said to them was today is a day we need to suffer but tomorrow we need to rise again ready for a fight. This is the mentality of this group. They deserve more than what we are getting in this league. I believe a win can change everything and feel today was the day but in the end, it was not. We must be ready to fight again and need our supporters again."
(C)Getty ImagesCrucial week ahead
Pereira signed a new three-year contract at Wolves only a month ago but former Manchester United scout Mick Brown claimed that a decision on the coach's future might be taken during the November international break and that the next few games will determine whether he will stay at the club.
Wolves are due back in action at home to Chelsea in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, before focus shifts to a must-win game away at Fulham in the Premier League three days later.