Wolves may have arrived at Deepdale looking to make an early statement in their bid to bounce straight back to the Premier League, but the intensity of their 3–1 victory over Preston North End has now given supporters another reason to believe this could be a very different campaign.
For Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom, however, the defeat was a painful reminder of just how little room for error there is against a Wolves side carrying Premier League-quality players and depth.
The match was intense from the opening stages. Wolves did not wait around to settle into the contest, with Fer López producing a superb individual finish in the eighth minute to put the visitors ahead. Preston were forced to respond, but the early setback meant Heckingbottom’s players were already chasing the game.
Speaking after the final whistle, Heckingbottom admitted that his team had competed and continued fighting, but ultimately fell short against a Wolves side that punished their mistakes.
“It was a tough one,” the Preston boss explained, acknowledging that his players had “huffed and puffed” and tried to compete. But he also pointed directly to the moments when Preston overcommitted and made rash decisions.
Those mistakes proved costly.
Wolves continued to threaten, and when Adam Armstrong added the second goal in the 71st minute, Preston were suddenly facing an enormous challenge. The visitors then appeared to put the result beyond doubt when López completed his brace in the 82nd minute.
Preston did manage a late consolation through Jordan Thompson, but by then Wolves had done the damage.
And this was where Heckingbottom’s assessment of Wolves became particularly interesting.
Asked about the performance of the visitors, the Preston boss did not hesitate to acknowledge the quality within the Wolves squad.
He admitted that Preston would have needed to get “everything 100 per cent right” to beat them, while insisting that Wolves’ quality was “undoubted.”
But it was not simply the individual talent that impressed him.
Heckingbottom highlighted something that could be especially significant for Wolves supporters hoping to see their club return to the Premier League at the first attempt: intensity and hunger.
The Preston boss explained that teams with quality do not always play with the intensity and hunger required to dominate games, but he felt Wolves had shown both qualities at Deepdale.
That observation could be viewed as a major compliment to César Peixoto’s team.
Wolves were not simply relying on their reputation as a recently relegated Premier League side. They showed the energy to press, the quality to exploit openings and the depth to keep Preston under pressure throughout the contest.
Heckingbottom also pointed to the difference in the quality and depth Wolves could bring from the bench another factor that could become increasingly important over a long Championship season.
That is why his assessment has caught the attention of Wolves supporters.
The club’s objective is clear: return to the Premier League. After suffering relegation last season, Wolves need consistency, hunger and quality if they are going to achieve that immediately.
And although Heckingbottom did not explicitly guarantee promotion, his description of Wolves provides an intriguing indication of how formidable the squad looked from the opposing dugout.
For Wolves fans, perhaps the most encouraging part was that the performance was not based on one moment of brilliance. López’s two goals were outstanding, Armstrong also found the net, and the team continued to control the contest even after Preston attempted to fight their way back.
There is still a long way to go.
One impressive Championship victory cannot guarantee promotion, and Wolves will face considerably tougher tests as the season develops. But if they can maintain the intensity, hunger, quality and togetherness that Heckingbottom witnessed at Deepdale, the belief around Molineux could grow rapidly.
For now, though, one thing is clear: Preston discovered just how difficult Wolves can be when their quality is matched by genuine intensity and determination.
And that is precisely the combination that could make Wolves one of the most dangerous teams in the Championship this season.
