Wolves 3 Brentford 0 – Report and pictures

Wolves created some good first half chances but Leo Bonatini, Diogo Jota and Helder Costa were denied by either the woodwork, a goalline clearance or inspired Bees keeper Daniel Bentley.

They broke the deadlock on 58 minutes when Ruben Neves scored a superb free kick and then a minute later it was pretty much game over when Douglas scored with a thunderbolt of a right foot shot.

The final half an hour was a procession and Jota added a third from close range to extend Wolves' lead to 12 points.

Analysis

With their rivals falling by the wayside – and Nuno's team just keeping on winning – it seems the only team that can stop Wolves is...well, Wolves.

Their lead is now 12 points to Derby and 14 to third-placed Cardiff, writes Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers.

That's a daunting gap for their rivals, whom you imagine are giving up hope of being able to catch Nuno Espirito Santo's seemingly unstoppable juggernaut.

Wolves have emerged from a tricky-looking festive period – Ipswich, Millwall, Bristol City and now Brentford – with an impressive 10 points out of 12, while those around them have tripped up.

Any doubts about fatigue, their foreign youngsters coping with the relentless fixture schedule or of other teams sussing Wolves out have proved completely unfounded.

Wolves are steamrolling the league. They've unbeaten since October, score goals for fun (they have 50, with the next best being Derby on 41), have the league's most miserly defence, possess no obvious deficiencies and even have the luxury of strength in depth – and new signings to come (Spanish forward Rafa Mir looks to be the first this month).

They now have 61 points – that's three more than last season's final total. And with the average points total of the Championship's second-placed team in the past 10 years being 87, they likely have to win only 10 of their final 20 matches to get over the finish line.

Only a very brave man or a fool would bet against them now. The rate Wolves are going this could be very comfortable indeed and with Nuno's penchant for devastating efficiency and clinicalness that looks the most likely outcome.

Match report

Nuno made just one change from the team that had dramatically beaten Bristol City 2-1 on Saturday, with Ryan Bennett replacing the suspended Danny Batth. Helder Costa got the nod over Ivan Cavaleiro who remained on the bench.

Brentford arrived at Molineux in great form having rocketed up the table since the teams last met, earning 33 points from 17 matches.

But Wolves are in even better form and it was Nuno's team who took the game by the scruff of the neck in the first half.

They could have been 5-0 up by half time. They certainly should have scored at least twice, but a combination of bad luck, dodgy finishing and a brilliant performance from ex-Southend keeper Daniel Bentley meant it somehow stayed goalless.

Helder Costa, anonymous at Bristol City on Saturday, looked a different player from the off as he teed up Leo Bonatini whose second minute shot struck the post.

At a well stocked but fairly quiet Molineux both teams were playing some nice football. Brentford weren't shy in getting forward in good numbers but they lacked the quality in the final third to really test Wolves, aside from a Yoann Barbet header which dropped inches past the post.

Otherwise it was all Wolves. Jota headed a corner goalwards but it was cleared off the line and Matt Doherty was played into the box by a gorgeous Willy Boly chip but Bentley got a strong hand to his left-footed shot.

Costa then latched onto a low through ball but Bentley raced out to block his chip. And then just before half time Barry Douglas directed a cross-field ball across goal to Jota whose bullet shot from 15 yards was superbly tipped past the post by Bentley, who was proving unbeatable.

The second half started in the same fashion. Bonatini showed great feet and strength to hold off a couple of challenges, but Bentley proved equal to his shot.

Cavaleiro changed the game at Bristol and Nuno called for him on 53 minutes, taking off an improved and clearly disappointed Costa.

The 23-year-old made an immediate impact, creating half chances for Bonatini and Doherty. And within six minutes of his introduction Wolves were 2-0 up.

First Ruben Neves sent a gorgeous 20-yard free kick into the corner, finally beating Bentley for his first Molineux goal (and a third wonderful goal for the club after long-range strikes at Hull and Sheffield Wednesday).

And rampant Wolves carved Brentford open to double their lead just seconds later, with Cavaleiro playing across the box where a handful of team mates were queueing up and Douglas unleashed a phenomenal right-footed right which nearly broke the net.

Molineux certainly wasn't quiet now – in fact the atmosphere went through the roof as the bench celebrated wildly. Wolves' persistence had paid off.

With Brentford having given up hope the final minutes were just about a matter of how many Wolves could score. Cavaleiro had a stinging effort saved, Jota's effort was blocked and the Jota scored perhaps Wolves' scrappiest goal of the season, turning home after Brentford failed to clear a corner.

The final minutes were a procession with Bright Enobakhare and then Kortney Hause coming on, the latter for his first league appearance of the season.

Wolves could have put a few sozzled lads from the South Bank in defence and they'd have still won. It was that easy.

Key moments

2 – Helder Costa races down the right and crosses low for Leo Bonatini whose prodded effort strikes the near post.

13 – A corner comes to Diogo Jota whose header look in, but it's cleared off the line.

15 – Brilliant from Willy Boly whose chipped pass picks out Matt Doherty – he shoots left footed from a great position but keeper Daniel Bentley makes a good save.

24 – Costa is released by a low through ball – he's in on goal but Bentley races out to narrow the gap and then blocks the forward's chip.

39 – Barry Douglas cuts the ball inside to Jota whose wicked first-time shot is brilliantly tipped wide by Bentley.

58 – GOAL – Wolves have a free kick 20 yards out to the left and RUBEN NEVES curls it beautifully into the near corner.

59 – GOAL – Ivan Cavaleiro plays it across the box and BARRY DOUGLAS unleashes an unstoppable right-footed rocket into the top corner.

80 – GOAL – Brentford fail to clear a corner and DIOGO JOTA turns it in from close range.

Line ups

Wolves (3-4-3): John Ruddy; Bennett, Coady (c), Boly (Hause, 83); Doherty, Saiss, Neves, Douglas; Costa (Cavaleiro, 53), Bonatini, Jota (Enobakhare, 81). Subs: Norris, Vinagre, N'Diaye, Gibbs-White..

Goals: Neves (58), Douglas (59), Jota (80)

Brentford (4-2-3-1): Bentley; Yennaris, Mepham, Bjelland, Barbet (Clarke, 78); Woods, Mokotjo; Watkins, Sawyers, Canos (Jozefzoon, 64); Vibe (Maupay, 71). Subs: Daniels, Macleod, McEachran, Marcondes.

Goals: sdf

Attendance: 28,475 (458 Brentford fans)

Referee: Andrew Madley (West Yorkshire)

League position

1st (61 points from 26 matches)