FA Cup: Wolves 0 Southampton 2 - Report

Having the opportunity to progress to the quarter-finals, boss Nuno Espirito Santo opted to make several changes on what proved to be a dismal evening at Molineux.

Danny Ings put the Saints ahead shortly into the second half, with Stuart Armstrong rubber-stamping the victory late on and sealing their place in the last eight.

Wolves knocked out. They got exactly what they deserved.

Analysis

This has been an extremely difficult season for Wolves supporters, having to watch matches from home for the entirety of it.

They have also seen their side suffer a succession of injuries and, ultimately, put in some very bad performances.

But the FA Cup offered hope, a chance to remember the 2020/21 campaign in a positive, warm light. Something to smile about.

However, any dreams of reaching Wembley and making up for what happened there a couple of years ago against Watford were shattered to pieces against Southampton.

Nuno rang the changes and set the tone for the rest of the night.

Wolves, quite frankly, did not turn up and the only saving grace was that the Saints just won by two. The heavy-hitters were introduced for the final half an hour, but they were unable to turn the tide.

There have been several low points this campaign, and this is certainly another one to add to the growing list.

For many, this was the last real thing to get excited about this term. Now it's just a case of where – presumably in the middle of the pack – Wolves finish in the top flight.

Match report

Nuno made six changes to the side which drew 0-0 with Leicester in the league last weekend.

John Ruddy, Ki-Jana Hoever, Romain Saiss, Morgan Gibbs-White, Vitinha and Fabio Silva were those who came in for Wolves. Pedro Neto, Adama Traore and Conor Coady were a few of the big names on the nine-man bench.

Southampton, meanwhile, handed a debut to £11million centre-half Mohammed Salisu – having endured various injury struggles since his signing last summer – in an otherwise full-strength line-up.

Also having Sunday's trip to St Mary's to think about, Nuno's team selection suggested that game was the main priority.

And it was the Saints who started the brighter of the two teams. Winning a succession of corners in the opening minutes, Wolves were let off the hook somewhat as Ryan Bertrand took a wild swing and failed to connect with the ball from near the penalty spot.

Ruddy then spilled an Armstrong effort before managing to gather it at the second attempt, while Ings saw a clever attempt blocked by Saiss.

Southampton's pressure continued, too, with Moussa Djenepo firing into the hands of Ruddy. Max Kilman also did well to race across and get in the way of another Armstrong shot.

Wolves, in all fairness, were offering very little. When they had spells of possession and played the ball forward, it just was not sticking.

Not having to worry about the speed and guile of both Traore and Neto, or the physical qualities of Willian Jose, the visitors looked comfortable at the back.

Salisu – whose last competitive game was with previous club Real Valladolid, last July – was barely tested.

The only significant moment in attack from Wolves when Joao Moutinho's free-kick was volleyed well over the bar by Saiss, who was seemingly in an offside position anyway. On the stroke of half-time, Ings poked Bertrand's' low, left-footed ball across goal wide of the near post.

It was a drab first 45 minutes from a gold and black point of view, but the tie was definitely still there to be won.

Able to make five substitutes in the Cup instead of the usual three, Nuno's first came at the beginning of the second period.

Rayan Ait-Nouri took the place of Jonny Castro Otto – gradually working his way back to full fitness following a long-term knee injury – at left-wing-back, with the formation staying the same.

The Saints, though, carried on threatening and finally took the lead.

It was a strange goal, but a deserved one for Ralph Hasenhuttl's men – Armstrong having missed a sitter a minute or two beforehand as well.

Released clean through, Ings had a side-footed shot saved by Ruddy before the ball bounced back off the striker's leg and crept over the line.

The assistant's flag went straight up, but a VAR review found Kilman was playing the Southampton centre forward onside and the goal was given.

Soon after that opener, Nuno called in the cavalry. Prior to that, though, Silva spurned a great opportunity after Hoever – pouncing on Salisu's loose pass – drilled the ball into the danger zone.

Gibbs-White was also booked for simulation and, unsurprisingly, him and Silva were the ones to make way for Traore and Jose. Neto swiftly replaced the ineffective Vitinha, too.

But Southampton remained the most dangerous. Nathan Redmond should have double their advantaged as he chopped onto his left foot but, one-on-one, lost the battle against Ruddy – Wolves' keeper standing his ground.

The away side, by this point, should have been out of sight. Wolves, somehow, still had the chance to make them rue their lack of a cutting edge.

A teasing ball to the far post fell kindly to Traore, but Fraser Forster made a sharp stop with his feet.

The Saints then made sure of the win in stoppage time. Ruddy slipped, allowing Nathan Tella to feed Armstrong, who put in via the inside of the far post.

Wolves are out having ended their Cup journey with a whimper, to put it lightly.

Teams

Wolves (3-4-3): Ruddy; Dendoncker, Saiss, Kilman; Hoever, Moutinho, Neves, Otto (Ait-Nouri, 46); Gibbs-White (Traore, 63), Silva (Jose, 63), Vitinha (Neto, 69)

Subs not used: Patricio (gk), Semedo, Coady, Otasowie, Cundle

Southampton (4-4-2): Forster; Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Salisu, Bertrand; Armstrong, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Djenepo (Tella, 87); Redmond, Ings (Adams, 82)

Subs not used: Lewis (gk), Vestergaard, Stephens, Finnigan, Chauke, Watts, Nlundulu

Goals: Ings (50), Armstrong (90)

Referee: Jonathan Moss (Sunderland)