Wolverhampton Wanderers have sacked head coach Gary O’Neil following four straight Premier League defeats, leaving the club second from bottom of the table with just nine points from 16 games.
The decision came after Wolves’ 2-1 home loss to fellow relegation candidates Ipswich on Saturday. Tensions ran high after the match as Rayan Ait-Nouri received a second yellow card, and Matheus Cunha had to be restrained during a heated exchange.
O’Neil, 41, was appointed in August 2023 after Julen Lopetegui’s departure and signed a four-year contract extension in August 2024. Despite guiding Wolves to a 14th-place finish last season, the team has struggled this season and is now battling relegation.
Saturday’s defeat followed a dramatic stoppage-time header by Ipswich’s Jack Taylor, which sealed Wolves’ fate despite an early lead gifted by an own goal from Ipswich’s Matt Doherty. Speaking after the match, O’Neil acknowledged the growing pressure and urged his players to take accountability.
“The players need to take some responsibility,” O’Neil said. “We have enough to fix on the pitch without dealing with unnecessary distractions off it. We’ll get back to work on Monday morning to address the issues.”
The team’s frustrations had already spilled over earlier in the week during a loss to West Ham. Wolves midfielder Mario Lemina was stripped of his captaincy following a post-match scuffle with West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen.
O’Neil’s departure comes as the club faces mounting challenges both on and off the pitch. Wolves will now look for a new manager to stabilize the team and guide them out of the relegation zone as the season progresses.
