Victory over Southampton on Saturday came with a healthy dose of relief at Molineux.
There is no desire to part company with Gary O’Neil. There is a firm grip of reality and perspective at the club’s Compton training ground but defeat against the Saints would have pushed him to the brink.
Had Wolves been bottom and winless after 11 games going into the international break, O’Neil’s future would have been bleak.
Wolves can consider themselves fortunate Ryan Manning’s leveller was disallowed after Mateus Fernandes was ruled to have fouled Nelson Semedo.
Southampton were also upset there were no fouls given for challenges on Cameron Archer and Fernandes in the build-up to Matheus Cunha’s clincher.
But O’Neil can argue Wolves are due some luck after last season’s trouble with VAR and victory can give them a springboard.
There is a belief, both internally and externally, the squad is good enough to survive.
Yet Wolves remain in a precarious position – Ipswich’s win at Tottenham hardly helped matters.
Fulham and Bournemouth await after the international break, games which Wolves still need results from both to maintain momentum.
Fulham have won four of their past seven and, while Bournemouth’s form has been patchy, they have beaten Arsenal and Manchester City while also taking a point at Aston Villa recently.
Every game is winnable but it would be dangerous to view those matches as Wolves’ immediate salvation.
They are still in danger and O’Neil still needs results.
