Wolves took all three points at Deepdale on Saturday, seeing off Preston 3-1 in the second round of Championship action. The visitors opened the scoring through Fer López eight minutes in, then held firm despite a late rally from the home side. Preston remain winless after four matches, while Wolves sit fourth with seven points.
López struck again in the 82nd minute after Adam Armstrong had given Wolves a two-goal cushion at 71. Jordan Thompson added a fourth with a late touch-and-go finish in the 90th minute plus one, though it hardly mattered by then. Five yellow cards flew during the contest, four for Preston and one for Wolves, as tempers frayed across the middle.
Substitutions came thick and fast after the hour mark, with Wolves bringing on Rodrigo Gomes and Raúl Jiménez on 67 minutes. Liam Lindsay and Jusef Erabi were withdrawn by Preston, while Callum Lang and Leo Leroy followed shortly after. André and Hugo Bueno completed the visitors' changes, suggesting they were managing a deeper squad rather than chasing the game.
The statistics tell a story Wolves already knew. They held 54 per cent possession and created three big chances against Preston's zero, while their expected goals of 1.58 dwarfed the hosts' 0.58. Preston managed 105 attacks but only two shots on target, meaning chances went begging. Wolves' shot accuracy of 31 per cent proved decisive.
And here's the thing — Preston had 105 attacks compared to Wolves' 81, yet the visitors scored three. The history between them adds an edge this season, but tonight was less about rivalry and more about execution. Preston ended a barren spell only in reverse, extending their winless run to four matches.
The result leaves Preston at the foot of the table, still searching for their first victory. Wolves move closer to the automatic promotion places, and you can see the difference in how they've shaped this campaign. Three points on the road, and they didn't need to break a sweat to do it.