Wolverhampton Wanderers got their season off to a flying start with two goals in the first six minutes through Raul Jimenez and Romain Saiss to earn a 2-0 victory at Sheffield United in the Premier League on Monday.
Wolves’ 2019-20 season only finished on Aug. 11 after a mammoth campaign which took in 59 games in all competitions, but they showed no signs of weariness as they took the lead inside three minutes in the sunshine at Bramall Lane.
The goal came from a familiar source — the club’s top scorer last season Jimenez — and 205 seconds later they scored again as Saiss headed in a corner to stun the hosts.
It meant Wolves are the first Premier League side to score two goals inside six minutes on the opening day of the season.
United stepped it up a gear after the interval and almost got back in the match through John Fleck, but the Scotland international’s powerful strike came back off the post.
Wolves should have extended their lead in the 71st minute after home goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale brilliantly tipped Saiss’ strike onto the post but Jimenez stabbed the ball just wide with the empty goal at his mercy.
The hosts kept coming but, while they created plenty of openings, Chris Wilder’s side could only muster two shots on target in the match as their second season back in the top flight began in disappointing fashion.
“We started fast and aggressive,” said Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who has just signed a new three-year deal. “We went for the game in those moments and it made all the difference.
“It was a quick turnaround (between seasons) but the players were amazing the way they worked.”
Wilder was not too disheartened with his side’s overall performance.
“To recover from as poor a start as I can remember here was always going to be a tough ask,” Wilder said.
“We gave it a right go, got into the right positions and when you do you have to find that little bit. I felt we just missed something.”