The Premier League delivered another action-packed Saturday on September 27, 2025, as Tottenham Hotspur hosted Wolverhampton Wanderers in North London. Both teams entered the contest with plenty riding on the outcome—Spurs, eager to solidify their position near the top of the table under new manager Thomas Frank, and Wolves, desperate to halt a dismal start to their campaign under Vítor Pereira.
Tottenham, sitting third with 11 points, have enjoyed a promising start to the season. Their 4-2-3-1 formation has become a staple under Frank, who has injected renewed energy and tactical discipline into the side. Wolverhampton Wanderers, meanwhile, languished at the bottom of the table with just a single point from their opening five matches. The pressure was mounting on Pereira, who faced the daunting task of reversing the club’s fortunes against a historically tricky opponent.
The matchday buzzed with anticipation. Tickets at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were snapped up quickly, and fans tuned in by the thousands via Sky Sports and BBC Radio Newcastle for live coverage. The atmosphere was electric, with both sets of supporters hoping for a breakthrough moment to lift their respective teams.
On the pitch, Spurs lined up with Guglielmo Vicario in goal, a back four of Djed Spence, Cristian Romero (captain), Micky van de Ven, and Destiny Udogie. The midfield duo of João Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur provided steel and stability, while the attacking trio of Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Bergvall, and Xavi Simons supported Richarlison up front. Frank’s tactical flexibility was on display, as he made several substitutions throughout the match, including bringing on Pedro Porro, Brennan Johnson, Warren Odobert, Pape Sarr, and Mathys Tel to inject fresh legs and ideas.
Wolves mirrored Tottenham’s formation, with Sam Johnstone between the sticks and a defensive line featuring Matt Doherty (captain), Santiago Bueno, Ladislav Krejčí, and Hugo Bueno. The midfield was anchored by João Gomes and André, with the creative burden falling to Juan Arias, Marshall Munetsi, and Hwang Hee-Chan behind striker Jørgen Strand Larsen. Pereira shuffled his pack with substitutions, introducing E. Agbadou, J. Bellegarde, J. Tchatchoua, Toti Gomes, and T. Arokodare in a bid to spark a turnaround.
The match proved to be a tactical chess game, with both managers keenly aware of their opponent’s strengths and vulnerabilities. Tottenham dominated possession with 398 passes and an 81.7% pass accuracy, while Wolves were close behind with 394 passes at 81.5% accuracy. The xG (expected goals) metric showed just how tight the contest was—Wolves edged Spurs 1.0019 to 0.8795, reflecting the razor-thin margins at play.
Attacking opportunities were at a premium. Spurs registered 10 shots, with 3 on target, while Wolves managed 9 shots, also with 3 on target. Both teams struck the woodwork once, and each goalkeeper was called into action for two crucial saves. Tottenham pressed forward relentlessly, winning 10 corners to Wolves’ 9 and racking up 24 touches inside the opposition box. Defensively, Wolves were robust, making 41 clearances and 31 tackles, though their won tackle percentage trailed Tottenham’s impressive 70.6%.
The match was not without its fiery moments. The referee, Michael Salisbury, kept a close eye on proceedings, issuing three yellow cards to Tottenham (Simons at 32 minutes, Bergvall at 65, and Palhinha at 90+4) and two to Wolves (Doherty at 35 minutes and Gomes at 39). Both sides pushed the boundaries, committing a combined 20 fouls, but the discipline held just enough to avoid any sendings-off.
Historically, this fixture has favored Wolves in recent years. Tottenham have lost four of their last five league meetings with Wolves since a 1-0 victory in August 2022, conceding two or more goals in each of their last four against the Midlands club. Wolves, for their part, have enjoyed relative success on their Premier League visits to Tottenham, losing only two of their last eight (winning four and drawing two) and avoiding defeat in their most recent two (one win, one draw).
Despite that, Wolves’ current form painted a bleak picture ahead of kickoff. They had lost all five of their Premier League games this season, a run of results that put them on the brink of an unwanted record—only three sides in Premier League history have lost each of their first six matches in a single campaign. Tottenham, by contrast, have been a model of consistency against teams starting the day bottom of the table, unbeaten in their last 15 such encounters (12 wins, 3 draws).
Tottenham’s attacking prowess has been a highlight this season. Only Liverpool had scored more second-half goals (7) than Spurs (6) entering this matchday, and remarkably, Spurs were the only side yet to concede after halftime. The Richarlison-Kudus partnership has blossomed, with Kudus providing all three of his Premier League assists for Richarlison—the most any player has assisted another so far this term. Richarlison’s fondness for facing Wolves was another subplot; he has netted six times in 12 Premier League games against them, equaling his tally against Leicester for most goals versus a single opponent.
Elsewhere in the league, Ismaila Sarr nearly grabbed headlines by almost scoring his fourth goal in three games against Liverpool, but his near-post flick on Adam Wharton’s low cross drifted just wide. The Premier League table remained tight at the top, with Tottenham looking to keep pace with the leaders and Wolves searching for that elusive first win.
As the final whistle approached, both sides pressed for a decisive moment, but neither could find the breakthrough. The stats told the story of a closely fought contest—shots, possession, and xG all nearly deadlocked. Spurs’ unbeaten run against bottom-placed teams extended, while Wolves’ search for points goes on.
For Tottenham, the draw (or result, if later confirmed) keeps them firmly in the Champions League places, and Thomas Frank’s early tenure continues to yield positive signs. For Wolves, the pressure mounts, but the fight and organization shown may offer a glimmer of hope as they look to turn their season around. The Premier League drama is far from over, and both teams will be eager to write a new chapter in the weeks ahead.
