AliousWolves are edging closer to securing their Premier League status for another season, and Ian Wright believes a key factor in their survival isn’t necessarily their own performances—but the struggles of their relegation rivals.
Wolves Take Crucial Step Toward Safety
Vitor Pereira’s side picked up a vital 2-1 victory over Southampton at St. Mary’s Stadium, a result that significantly boosted their survival hopes. While the performance itself was far from convincing, Wolves did enough to claim all three points, with Jorgen Strand Larsen netting twice to bring his season tally to nine goals.
It has been a chaotic campaign at Molineux, and at this stage, securing points is all that matters. With Wolves now sitting nine points clear of the relegation zone, safety appears within reach. Matheus Cunha has been a key contributor to their survival push, but Wright believes there’s another major reason Wolves are in this position.
Ian Wright: Wolves Benefiting from Relegation Rivals’ Poor Form**
Despite their 26-point haul from 29 games—a tally that would typically spell danger—Wolves find themselves in a relatively comfortable position. Wright attributes this largely to the weakness of the bottom three teams: Southampton, Leicester City, and Ipswich Town.
Speaking on *The Kelly & Wrighty Show*, the former Arsenal striker said:
*”You look at the three bottom teams, and why Wolves have been very fortunate this season—it’s because they’ve been so poor. They’re not good enough. But if you look at Wolves and the teams just above them, they haven’t been anywhere near good enough either.”*
While Wolves have shown flashes of promise—Cunha’s contributions, Bellegarde’s improvement in a more central role, and Strand Larsen’s impact—Wright suggests that the club’s survival is more about their rivals’ failings than their own progress.
*”There’s a lot more to come from Wolves, but at the same time, they’re lucky that the teams below them have struggled so badly,”* he added.
Pereira Expected to Raise Standards Next Season
Wright also believes that while Wolves have been fortunate this season, Pereira has the potential to elevate the team’s standards moving forward. He expects them to be much more competitive in the 2025/26 campaign.
However, the reality remains that Wolves’ survival is largely down to their relegation rivals’ dismal performances. The bottom three have collectively picked up just eight points in 2025, while Wolves alone have managed 10.
This season’s relegation battle is shaping up to be historically weak. As highlighted by *Match of the Day X*, after 29 games, the current bottom three have accumulated just 43 points—the lowest combined total at this stage in Premier League history.
Had this been a more competitive relegation scrap, Wolves’ poor campaign might have seen them in real danger. Instead, thanks to their struggling rivals, they appear set to stay in the top flight for another season.
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