Bruno Lage incensed with Wolves' first half display and calls out Ki-Jana Hoever's preparation

A poor first 45 minutes allowed the visitors to race into a 2-0 lead that Wolves could not claw back.

Individual mistakes, a lack of attacking intensity and poor ball retention all played a part and Lage was bitterly disappointed with the display.

“We gave them 45 minutes in advance,” he said.

“After the West Ham game I was very mad with my players, but today it’s more disappointing with what we did in the first 45 minutes.

“That was the big difference in the game. We didn’t win any duels.

“After what happened against Crystal Palace earlier in the season, after we had a good three or four months, so lets hope after this game we bring that memory back and come to our level.

“It’s about tactics or running, they just won all the duels and that was the big difference.

“When you look at what happened in the last two games and the way we are playing and training, and the way we are suffering these goals, it is very hard to accept.

“The first goal, I think is a foul and VAR should analyse it, but when you look at the goals it’s hard to accept. It’s a warning for me and my players – I will not tolerate these 45 minutes again. I will see the behaviour of each one.

“Like I said weeks ago, we have 40 points and I don’t want anyone to relax. They need to understand that if you are not in a good moment or not playing how you used to play, you are out of the team.

“I want to continue to bring success to the club and I don’t accept these 45 minutes, especially in front of our fans. They support us from the first to last minute.

“The second half was a little bit different and we started to win more duels. We had the courage to play the game.”

Ki-Jana Hoever struggled in the first 25 minutes before coming off with a suspected hamstring injury.

The 20-year-old was also poor last week against West Ham after coming in for the injured Nelson Semedo, and an incensed Lage tore into the youngster for a lack of professionalism.

“Ki is a good example of a young kid who wants everything to happen (quickly),” Lage added.

“When you are out or your team-mate is playing, you are not training with intensity or preparing yourselves. Then, when you have the chance, these kind of things happen.

“I have too many kids in my team and sometimes they don’t work the way they should work. They are not prepared the way they should and after these kind of things happen.

“When they are in training they are thinking ‘I’m not playing, how am I not playing’. I said to them on the first day I started work with them, that they need to work. The first target is work and improve and after they have the chances.

“These things happen (the injury) because they go to the limit and are not prepared.

“Injuries can happen but this one happened because he is not prepared. Sometimes Ki doesn’t work with the same intensity.

“This warning is not just for Ki, but for the kids we have in our team. They need to understand that I don’t waste time with guys who don’t work hard every day to improve. We have players aged 35 who don’t play, like Joao, and in training they are trying to win every ball.

“I will not tolerate any more of the kids, or players, training and thinking too much about whether they are playing or not.”