Vitor Pereira continued his strong start as Wolves’ new manager on Saturday, leading his team to a crucial 2-1 FA Cup third round victory over Bristol City at Ashton Gate.
Pereira took over at Wolves in mid-December after Gary O’Neil was dismissed following a dismal first half of the 2024/25 season. The Portuguese manager signed an 18-month contract at Molineux, with the club in a precarious position in the Premier League relegation zone due to a five-match losing streak.
Since then, Pereira has stabilized the team, earning seven points from his first four Premier League matches, including a notable 2-0 win over Manchester United on Boxing Day.
On Saturday, Pereira’s improved side carried their form into the FA Cup, with wing-backs Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rodrigo Gomes scoring to secure a 2-1 win over Championship side Bristol City. Pereira praised Gomes in particular after the match.
Despite the positive result, Pereira admitted his team’s performance could have been better, especially after failing to close out the game at 2-0. Wolves missed several chances to finish the match off, allowing Bristol City to reduce the deficit through Scott Twine just before halftime. As a result, the second half was far more nerve-wracking than necessary.
“The last five minutes of the first half we conceded some opportunities,” Pereira said. “We gave them confidence. We lost one or two balls from our throw-in, and they scored just before halftime. In the first half, we had chances to score more goals, and with a 3-0 lead, we could have closed the game, but they went to the break with confidence, and we had some doubts. To close the game, we needed to score that third goal.”
“In the second half, we had two chances to score the third goal, but they have quality, and they started to believe. We didn’t have the quality, in my opinion, to keep possession, and in the transition game, it’s tough to control. When we should have kept the ball, we lost it. They have a good team, and it’s the cup – it’s a battle. We work, fight, and suffer together, defending as a unit. That’s football. It’s never easy.”
Pereira also shared his thoughts on his first experience in the FA Cup, having never managed in England before joining Wolves.
“It’s fantastic, fantastic, fantastic,” Pereira said enthusiastically. “It’s like we’re in the Premier League. The pace of the game is the same. It’s physical, it’s technical, and they have very good players. This is English football.”
Wolves will discover their fourth-round FA Cup opponent on Sunday evening, with the Old Gold drawn as ball number 11.
Vitor Pereira explains one thing he wasn’t happy with in Wolves vs Bristol City – fans will agree
