Wolverhampton Wanderers host Fulham at Molineux on Sunday May 17 in what is effectively a closing ceremony for one of the worst Premier League seasons any club has endured in the modern era. Wolves are relegated, sitting 20th with 18 points from 36 matches. Three wins all season. Twenty-four defeats. This is the second-to-last match of a campaign the club will spend the entire summer trying to dismantle and rebuild from scratch.
Wolves | A Season That Collapsed Early and Never Recovered
The numbers are stark. Wolves have scored 25 league goals this season, the fewest of any team in the division by a significant margin. They have conceded 66, giving them a goal difference of -41. For context, West Ham, who are 18th and also relegated, have scored 42 goals and conceded 62. Wolves are not just relegated, they have been the worst side in the Premier League by almost every metric.
The season started with optimism following summer investment in the squad, but a run of six straight defeats in October and November effectively ended any realistic survival hope by December. Multiple managerial changes could not arrest the decline. The squad has been inconsistent, injury-prone, and unable to find any sustained period of clean sheets or clinical finishing. Their three wins this season came against sides who were also struggling: none of Wolves' victories came against a team currently in the top half.
Fulham | Comfortable Visitors on a Standard Day Out
Fulham arrive in 11th place on 48 points, safe and untroubled. Marco Silva's side have been a solid mid-table outfit all season, doing what Fulham do best: compact defensively, reliable in transition, keeping clean sheets when it matters. Their 1-0 win over Aston Villa was a result that had implications for the Champions League race. Their 2-0 loss to Liverpool was a reminder of the gap between their level and the top four.
For Fulham, this is a free match against a side with no defenders left to play for. Three away wins in the last six matches suggest they are capable of taking something from Molineux, but the context barely registers against the backdrop of what Wolves are experiencing.
Molineux | A Stadium Saying Goodbye to the Top Flight
This is Wolverhampton's last home game in the Premier League until at least the 2027/28 season at the earliest, assuming a swift one-season Championship return. Molineux, a stadium with a capacity of 31,750 and one of the loudest atmospheres in the West Midlands, deserves better football than it has witnessed this season. The Wolves support, loyal throughout a difficult campaign, will fill the ground on Sunday to send the team off.
Their final fixture is away at Burnley on May 24, itself a fellow relegated side, meaning the season ends with two relegated clubs playing each other on the final day. For the Wolves fanbase, the work starts now: rebuild, recruit, and return.
For the full May 17 fixture list and all Premier League coverage, see the oWire Premier League hub. The simultaneous kick-off on Sunday also includes Leeds United vs Brighton and Everton vs Sunderland. For the Premier League's history from 1992 to today, see our full history guide.