Wolves ride luck to escape defeat against Blackburn on Championship return

Wolverhampton Wanderers were handed a wake-up call by Blackburn Rovers in the Championship last night.

New manager Cesar Peixoto named a strong team against Rovers, but they were second best for much of the contest.

Summer signing Kieran Tripper started at right-back, while club icon Raul Jimenez started on the bench.

Peixoto’s side were tipped to claim an easy victory over a side that finished 20th in the Championship last season.

They previously won comfortably against Port Vale in the League Cup, but were handed a reality check at Molineux.

Wolves struggled to get a hold of the game in the opening exchanges before Marshall Munetsi scored against the run of play.

The Zimbabwean was deployed in a box-to-box role by Peixoto, and he put his powerful engine to good use to open the scoring.

However, Rovers equalised when captain Sean McLoughlin glanced a beautiful header into the back of the net.

Andri Gudjohnsen put Rovers ahead after break, leaving the home side staring down the barrel of a defeat.

Wolves snatched an undeserved point late in the game, with Jimenez making no mistake from the spot.

While the points were shared at the Molineux, the numbers tell a story that no Wolves fan wants to hear.

They created just two big chances despite registering 22 touches in the opposition box during the encounter.

Wolves were bereft of ideas in attack, reminiscent of their struggles from last season.

Peixoto has spoken about togetherness as a key value for him, and his team will need it judging by how they rode their luck in their opener.

An immediate return to the Premier League will be the priority for Wolves, but performances like this one cannot be repeated.

Blackburn reminded them how difficult teams will make it for them this season, and also served notice that they could enjoy a productive season under Tony Mowbray.