Where Wolves finished in the Premier League table based on Julen Lopetegui’s time only - gallery

Wolverhampton Wanderers looked like they were certain for relegation when Julen Lopetegui first took charge during the World Cup break. Wolves’ woeful first 15 matches under Bruno Lage saw them collect just 10 points, leaving them well adrift at the bottom of the Premier League and four points away from safety.

No team in the entire division had a worse scoring record and the defensive form didn’t make for good reading either, as Wanderers had a -16 goal difference going into the World Cup. Fast forward to Boxing Day for the return of the Premier League, though, and Lopetegui was ready to make his mark.

Having had just over a month to get accustomed to his new surroundings, Lopetegui began his term with a 2-0 win over Gillingham in the Carabao Cup before leading his side to a dramatic late 2-1 victory away at Everton on December 26. A defeat to Manchester United and a draw with Aston Villa followed, but the positive signs were there.

Go ahead six months and the promising start fleshed out to form a remarkable recovery from Lopetegui, his staff and the players. Molineux became a fortress again and a host of crucial wins came against the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur to earn enough points to finish well above the relegation zone.

In the mind of Lopetegui himself, even a Europa League win and helping Sevilla qualify for the Champions League were inferior to the achievement of keeping Wolves up. It was so impressive and many have since wondered how Wolves would’ve fared if Lopetegui had been there the entire season.

We’ve thought the exact same here at Birmingham World and have decided to put together a Premier League table based on Lopetegui’s time at the club only. It works out at 23 games per club, with some surprising form swings at both ends of the standings. Flick through the pages to see how Wolves did as well as the other 19 clubs.