Nuno Espirito Santo insists the hectic start to the season did not have an impact as Wolves laboured to a 1-1 draw against Burnley on Sunday. Nuno’s men, who faced Torino in Italy in the Europa League on Thursday evening having played Manchester United on Monday, salvaged a point against the Clarets thanks to Raul Jimenez’s penalty seven minutes into stoppage time.
But they had struggled for long periods of the game before that and a 13th-minute goal from the prolific Ashley Barnes – who scored for the fourth time in three Premier League games – seemed set to give the visitors the points.
The spot-kick, confirmed after a VAR review, was awarded for a foul by Erik Pieters on Mexico striker Jimenez, and Nuno was relieved to get a point in the end.
However he refused to blame a busy schedule for the lacklustre performance and says they can cope with the extra games that the Europa League will bring if they carry on in the competition. “We had patience and we kept going until the end,” Nuno said. “We won’t be beaten. We must be very proud of the boys, very proud. “It was a tough week, a very tough cycle of games against some very good opponents. We played against Man United, we played against Torino and we played against a very good Burnley who have started the season very well.
“It’s tough. But if you want to embrace it and you want to play in all the competitions, then compete in all of them. This is about competing in every game.”
Wolves now turn their focus to the game against Torino, and following a huge result when winning the first leg in Turin 3-2, they are within touching distance of making the group stages of the competition for the first time in their proud history.
Before then, the players will get some downtime to recharge the batteries before Thursday’s return leg at Molineux. Well one day. “I’m going to give them their first day off (on Monday) since I don’t remember when!” he added. “They have been working every day, every day for six weeks now so I am very, very proud of them. We will go again on Thursday against Torino.”
Meanwhile, Burnley counterpart Sean Dyche had some doubts over the VAR ruling and felt his side were worthy of the three points. “Apart from them hitting the post, I don’t think Nick Pope had a save to make,” he said. “But eventually a big decision goes against us.”
