Wolves have learned their Premier League schedule for the 2024/25 season, with their opening 10 games now ranked based on difficulty.
Gary O’Neil will be eager to improve his side’s 14th-place finish last campaign as Wolves prepare for the Englishman’s second season in charge of the club.
O’Neil took the reins from Julen Lopetegui just days before the 2023/24 Premier League opener, giving the boss little time to organise his squad for the challenges ahead.
This summer will be crucial for the manager to bolster his side, as Wolves bid to start the 2024/25 campaign strongly although, it won’t be easy.
How difficult Wolves start to 2024/25 Premier League season is compared to other clubs
Starting the season away at Arsenal is not how Wolves fans would have wanted to see the 2024/25 campaign commence.
While O’Neil’s side are capable of upsetting the top six, the squad has a challenge to overcome immediately next term, with a difficult opening 10 games identified.
In fact, Opta Analyst has concluded that Wolves have the most difficult opening 10 fixtures next season, with an average opponent rating of 89.2.
To put into perspective, Bournemouth have the second-hardest start with an average opponent rating of 88.1, reinforcing the challenges Wolves face from the off.
In the first 10 games, the Old Gold will come up against five of last season’s top six, with Arsenal, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Manchester City to play.
Wolves are familiar with difficult starts to the Premier League season
Wolves have only won once on the opening day of the season since their promotion back to the top flight.
Last campaign, it took O’Neil’s side until match week three to claim their first win, with the 2022/23 campaign taking as long as match day six to earn three points.
As seen above, the Old Gold’s slow starts to the season are somewhat expected however, O’Neil will certainly want to change fate in 2024/25.
There will be some hope that this summer will be contrasting for the club, with the manager clear on his wishes to bolster the team in preparation for the entirety of the campaign.
Players have been linked with moves away to clear some rubble, while two new signings have been announced, with Tommy Doyle making his loan move permanent, and Rodrigo Gomes arriving from Braga.
To add to that, Wolves have beaten Chelsea to the signing of Pedro Lima, with the Brazilian starlet’s move set to become official soon.
A strong summer of preparation could turn the tide at Molineux, with a difficult start to 2024/25 to contend with.