7M - Two managers and a title race – bottom-of-the-table Wolves have shaken up the Premier League

A quick glance at the league standings suggests Wolverhampton Wanderers are enduring one of the worst campaigns in Premier League history. They’ll certainly finish with more than Derby County's infamous 11-point total (across 38 games), but expecting them to double their current points haul in the final 11 matches is optimistic, no matter how highly one rates manager Rob Edwards.

Yet, despite their lowly position, Wolves have contributed to the departures of two Premier League managers and, with Wednesday's 2-2 draw against Arsenal, have dragged the Gunners back into a genuine three-team title fight—just when Mikel Arteta's side appeared to have one hand on the trophy.

A closer look at Wolves' season reveals plenty of dismal reading, but also several bright spots highlighting the damage they've inflicted on others. Here's a breakdown of the campaigns they've disrupted:

West Ham
Wolves eliminated West Ham from the EFL Cup back in August, an early blow during what became a wretched run for the Hammers under Graham Potter, who was eventually dismissed at the end of September.

Wolves went on to knock Everton out of the League Cup as well—while still pointless in the league—before securing their first league point away at Tottenham, around the same time Potter was shown the door.

They also thrashed West Ham 3-0 in the league in early January (shortly after drawing at Old Trafford, detailed below), a result that kept the Hammers mired in relegation trouble.

Manchester United
After beating Everton 2-0 in the cup, Wolves embarked on a 14-game winless streak—a few draws here and there, but largely a dire run, including a 4-1 home hammering by Manchester United.

The return fixture at Old Trafford, however, told a different story. United, missing their Africa Cup of Nations players, barely scraped a 1-1 draw. That match, played on the final day of the year, sparked a behind-the-scenes disagreement between Ruben Amorim and technical director Jason Wilcox, ultimately leading to Amorim's sacking days later.

Wolves had claimed their first managerial scalp.

Nottingham Forest
Forest have endured a miserable season of their own, recently appointing their fourth manager. They sit just above the relegation zone, and a 0-0 draw with Wolves last week did them no favors. That match earned Wolves their ninth point of the season—and their second managerial victim.

Forest's third manager, Sean Dyche, was dismissed after that game, eventually replaced by Vítor Pereira, himself a former Wolves boss. The circle (or circus?) continues.

Arsenal
The all-too-familiar sight of their team faltering near the finish line has likely caused lasting psychological damage to many Arsenal fans over recent seasons (or indeed, recent decades). There was chatter over the weekend about Arsenal 'looking scared'—admittedly from an Overlap Fan Debate, so perhaps not the most authoritative source—but that followed their 1-1 draw at Brentford last week.

Arsenal have otherwise impressed in cup competitions—one foot in the League Cup final (though Chelsea could still pull off a smash-and-grab at Stamford Bridge in the second leg of the semi), into the FA Cup fifth round, and top of the Champions League league phase—a club seemingly in fine health and good form.

Mathematically, Arsenal remain favorites for the title: five points clear, albeit having played a game more. Crucially, both Manchester City and Aston Villa have shown vulnerabilities this season and are capable of dropping points unexpectedly.

But psychology matters. Until Arsenal actually see a season through and emerge as champions, doubts will persist. It doesn't matter whether outside observers believe they should still win—the fans must rally behind the team in the stands, and the players must trust themselves to grind out results in the remaining fixtures, even if that means sidelining the domestic cups.

Should Arsenal fail to become Premier League champions after leading for so long, Wolves fans will have one more scalp to celebrate as they brace for life in the Championship.

And for supporters of other clubs? The meltdown will be utterly glorious to watch.