Wolves 1 Fulham 0 – Report and pictures

Wolves went close via a Diogo Jota shot which was pushed wide and then Leander Dendoncker crashed a header off the crossbar during a goalless first half.

Dendoncker slammed home Doherty's cross to break the deadlock 15 minutes from time, before Jota hit the bar with a half volley.

If Leicester fail to beat Manchester City on Monday, seventh place will be confirmed for Nuno Espirito Santo's side.

Analysis

Seventh heaven – and an almost perfect league season – is now within touching distance.

Wolves were deeply impressive in winning the Championship title last season, writes Tim Spiers at Molineux.

But if they were to finish seventh and possibly qualify for the Europa League, having also reached the FA Cup semi-finals, it would be an even more notable achievement.

No wonder they're awarding Nuno titles. Sorry. Doctor Nuno.

Wolves are now on 57 points from 37 matches, giving them the third highest tally of a newly promoted team in a 38-game Premier League season, behind Sunderland (58, 1999/2000) and Ipswich (66, 2000/01).

Given the evolution of the Premier League since then and the advent of the 'big six' who each have more money to spend than any team in English football history, again, Wolves' achievement is arguably more impressive.

And they still have a game to go.

Winning at Anfield would be the gold icing on the delicious cake that has been the 2018/19 season, but Wolves will settle for Man City avoiding defeat against Leicester on Monday.

That would guarantee seventh – and another City win in the FA Cup final would open the door to Wolves' first European campaign in almost 40 years.

These are heady days indeed. It's Wolves' best finish since they finished sixth in 1980 and their highest Molineux average attendance (31,030) since 1970.

It'll be the freedom on the city next for Nuno. And who knows what's next for Wolves – the sky is the limit.

Match report

Wolves were unchanged for the third game in a row but there were two alterations on the bench with Will Norris and Max Kilman included instead of John Ruddy and Romain Saiss, with Nuno having stated recently he was keen to give the pair – both unused this season – an opportunity before the campaign ends.

Relegated but resurgent Fulham, who had Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ryan Babel up front, came into the game in confident and carefree mood having won three games on the spin without conceding a goal.

Wolves have won two in a row though and they were certainly the better team in the first half.

However, it was no classic at Molineux, with the game having a distinct end-of-season feel. Large periods were played out in a near-silent atmosphere as Wolves struggled to lift the tempo or the noise levels.

Diogo Jota's magnificent recent form has put him centre of attention and the first 15 minutes were all about the Portuguese forward.

Twice he wriggled into the box and twice went down under challenges, but on both occasions referee Jonathan Moss turned down Wolves' penalty appeals. It looked like there was contact for the first tackle, but very little for the second and indeed Jota was booked for diving.

Wolves then produced what would be the standout move of the half, with Joao Moutinho played beyond the back-line for Raul Jimenez who cutely flicked towards Jota – he drove a 15-yard shot towards the bottom corner but was expertly denied by keeper Sergio Rico.

Moutinho was again the architect a few minutes later when harrassing his man to win the ball back just outside the Fulham box, before playing to Jota who fizzed an effort across goal and inches wide.

Wolves' next chances came via, you guessed it, maestro Moutinho whose whipped cross reached Leander Dendoncker and he crashed a header against the crossbar.

Boly then flashed a header wide from a corner taken by, yes, Moutinho, as Wolves dominated without generating much in the way of tempo or momentum.

At the other end Fulham's opportunities were limited to a powerful Joe Bryan shot which Rui Patricio tipped over.

And that was about it for a fairly tepid 45 minutes in which too few of Wolves' star performers came to the fore.

Wolves went straight on the attack at the start of the second half and that man Jota, for the third time, was desperately close to scoring. Conor Coady brilliantly won the ball back with a rabble-rousing tackle, Jimenez sprinted from deep and then Jonny fed Jota who drilled fractionally wide of the post left-footed.

That got them going in the stands and suddenly Wolves had purpose and urgency in their play.

However it was Fulham who then fashioned the best opportunity of the game for either team when Ryan Sessegnon was played in behind Jonny Castro Otto and squared for Mitrovic who ballooned a free shot into the stand from 12 yards.

Back came Wolves with three chances inside two minutes. A Ruben Neves screamer from range was tipped wide by Rico, before the keeper saved Matt Doherty's goalbound header with his leg. Moutinho had crossed to Doherty for that chance and from his resulting corner Jimenez flashed a header past the post.

After some petty refereeing from picky ref Jonathan Moss, who twice stopped Wolves taking a quick free kick for no good reason, Doherty finally had the ball in the net from Wolves after slamming home Jonny's blocked shot, but the Irishman was correctly flagged offside.

It was all Wolves now – and with just 15 minutes remaining their persistence paid off. That man Moutinho slipped in Doherty down the right and he perfectly picked out Dendoncker, arriving late eight yards out to slam the ball into the net in front of an ecstatic South Bank.

It was Dendoncker's second goal for the club and Doherty's eighth assist of the season.

Wolves piled forward in search of a second with Jota doing everything bar finding the net. His rasping half-volley was tipped onto the bar by Rico in Wolves' best chance for what remained of the game.

There was just about time for Will Norris and Max Kilman to get onto the field with seconds to go, before the full-time whistle blew and Wolves' wonderful home season drew to a close.

Key moments

11 - Nuno's side nearly take the lead in fantastic fashion. Moutinho's through-ball is flicked around by the corner by Jimenez. That sets up Jota, whose low strike is tipped wide by Rico. Top goalkeeping.

31 - Crossbar! The hosts remain on the front foot and are denied by the woodwork this time. Moutinho lofts a corner into the area and Dendoncker's powerful header leaves the bar rattling.

62 - Fulham go on a rare foray forward and should grab a shock opener. Sessegnon finds space down the right and squares the ball to Mitrovic, who blazes over from near the penalty spot.

75 - GOOOOOALLLLLLL!!! Wolves break the deadlock at long last! Moutinho plays the ball down the line to Doherty. He cuts it back from the byline to Dendoncker, who coolly volleys home. A lovely passage of play.

Teams

Wolves (3-5-2): Patricio (Norris, 90); Bennett, Coady (c), Boly (Kilman, 90); Doherty, Dendoncker, Neves, Moutinho, Otto (Vinagre, 90); Jimenez, Jota

Subs not used: Gibbs-White, Traore, Costa, Cavaleiro

Goals: Dendoncker (75)

Fulham (3-5-2): Rico; Christie, Le Marchand, Ream; R Sessegnon (Ayite, 83), Anguissa (Elliott, 88), Chambers, Cairney (c), Bryan; Babel; Mitrovic

Subs not used: Fabri (gk), Mawson, S Sessegnon, Nordtveit, Kebano

Attendance: 30,456 (1,080 Fulham fans)

Referee: Jonathan Moss (West Yorkshire)

League position

7th (57 points from 37 matches)

Next up

Wolves end the season away at Liverpool next Sunday, kick off 3pm.