Terry Connor: I feared record defeat

Terry Connor today saluted a "magnificent" response from 10-man Wolves after admitting he feared a record Premier League defeat against Arsenal last night.

The 3-0 loss to the Gunners was rock-bottom Wolves' seventh successive defeat and left them nine points from the safety line after wins for Wigan and QPR.

If their rivals all win this weekend – culminating in Wigan at Arsenal on Monday night - Wolves would be effectively relegated with four games left, with only a massive swing in goal difference able to save them.

But Connor was relieved his side – reduced to 10 men after Sebastien Bassong saw red for bringing down Theo Walcott in the area and 2-0 down after 11 minutes – didn't rival Ipswich's 9-0 slaughter to Manchester United in March 1995.

"I took comfort that from going 2-0 down we could have ended up with a real beating and a record defeat in the Premier League," said the boss.

"But the lads were determined for that not to happen and they dug in.

"We got to half time without conceding any more and were then able to talk through what we wanted to do in the second half.

"They carried that out to the letter and were magnificent. So the spirit is there."

Should Wolves lose at Sunderland on Saturday, they would equal the club's longest run of successive league defeats in its history of eight, set in February 1982.

Last night's setback was also their eighth in a row at home in the league and was the 30th game without a clean sheet – both club records.

And Connor admits all he can ask for is similar performances as they try to prevent more unwanted milestones.

"It's going to be very difficult to get out of it," he said.

"But if the lads produce five more performances like that, that's all I can ask for," he said.

Connor was frustrated by criticism of his decision to replace midfielder David Davis with Christophe Berra after 10 minutes following Bassong's dismissal.

"We had to get a centre-half on," he said. "Before we played Blackburn I'd say 99 per cent of the crowd wouldn't have known David Davis, and I gave him a chance.

"So I didn't really appreciate that. But from then on the crowd was tremendous."