Wolves: Head coach Rob Edwards warns of further pain

To add to Edwards’ problems, midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde may now not return until February after suffering a hamstring injury against United.

The Haiti international has played in 14 of Wolves’ 15 league games and scored on Monday – their first league goal since 26 October.

“It was a hamstring – he could be up to six or more weeks which is a real blow for us,” added the head coach.

Wolves’ eight-game losing run has equalled a club record set in 1981-82. They are 13 points from safety and have not won a game in the Premier League since April.

“I’ve been able to show people in a meeting what is acceptable and what’s not. If we don’t do certain things, it [relegation] will be done quite quickly,” Edwards said.

“I can’t put my boots on and go and do it. We can show, train it and demand the high standards but it has to come from them.”

Despite the difficult start, Edwards has received backing from executive chairman Jeff Shi in an interview with BBC WM.

Shi said he is “95%” sure Edwards, who made 111 appearances for Wolves as a player, will be at the club for the next two-to-three years.

Edwards added: “Coming in, we knew it was going to be really difficult. I don’t think I ever said it wasn’t going to be. The exciting thing was I was going to bring really good people in.

“I have really good people who are hard working and really keen to do well. It’s nice to hear we have the backing from the people above to make improvements.”