Wolves 1-1 Southampton: Saints battle to deserved point at Molineux

Southampton claimed a deserved point from their Premier League clash with Wolves on Saturday as an improved display secured a 1-1 draw.

Saints went ahead shortly after half-time when Danny Ings netted in his third top-flight game in a row, but a soft penalty was converted by Raul Jimenez to give the hosts a share of the spoils.

Ralph Hasenhuttl returned to a 3-4-2-1 system for the game and brought Jannik Vestergaard into defence to replace Shane Long from the side that faced Chelsea last time out.

This formation proved particularly useful for Saints in the second half of last season and helped to give them some structure, and this seemed to be what happened this afternoon.

Danny Ings would force the first save of the game when he let fly from a tight angle, but Rui Patricio was comfortably equal to it.

However, Saints were thankful to VAR for keeping the game goalless twice before half-time as Wolves striker Raul Jimenez was denied an opener on both occasions.

First, the Mexican used his hand to control the ball before taking it around the advancing Angus Gunn, and then Patrick Cutrone played the ball from an offside position in the build-up to the second effort.

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After the break, Ings perhaps should have done better when presented with the chance to shoot from just outside the area after intercepting a loose pass; his strike easily held by Patricio.

Despite this, he wouldn’t be denied his goal for long.

Another mistake from a Wolves defender allowed him to race onto a header forward from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and finish coolly into the far corner.

The goal was taken with the calmness and confidence of a man in real form, and Ings is certainly that at this time.

Just 10 minutes later though, Wolves had their equaliser through what looked a very soft penalty.

Matt Doherty did well to stride into the Saints box and into a dangerous position, but he seemed to run into Hojbjerg rather than the Dane’s challenge being mistimed.

From the resulting spot-kick, Raul Jimenez finally got his goal and an eventual point for his side with a cool conversion.

James Ward-Prowse went close to a late winner for Saints with an accurate and strong free-kick effort, but the visitors will be happy with the progress that they showed from the loss to Chelsea last time out.