Six losses in their last seven in the Premier League. Four on the bounce. Brentford are in bother, and we will struggle to find a player who endures a worse evening against his former employers this season than Nathan Collins did here.

Collins was directly responsible for two of Wolves’ four goals on a night when Thomas Frank longed for the comfort of previous seasons. 

Brentford have appeared at home in the Premier League since their promotion in 2021 but now, they are looking down the table rather than up.

‘I expect him to walk into the training ground with his head held high. You shake it off. It’s football. It happens. We have character in abundance. It is a big thing in this football world to stay calm and believe in the work we do. That is what we do.’

Hwang Hee-Chan scored his ninth and tenth league goals of the season in the first half

The South Korean striker was substituted by Gary O’Neil at half-time after scoring the brace

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde put the icing on the cake for Wolves after they slotted in a fourth

Collins signed a five-year contract when he joined Wolves with the option of a sixth. They sold him after a single season with Brentford spending £23million on him in the summer. 

Some mischievous supporters in the away end suggested this was his best performance for them as they exited on Wednesday night, having seen his passes gift goals to Hwang Hee-Chan and Jeanricner Bellegarde.

Only Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland had scored more goals with their left feet than Brentford’s own southpaw striker Bryan Mbeumo. 

Yet Mbeumo is set to miss three months after ankle surgery and he was one of nine players unavailable for Frank here.

Frank’s dwindling options prompted the classic pre-January transfer window cry for help as he named two goalkeepers on his substitutes’ bench, along with several academy talents.

Sensing a fragility within the hosts, Wolves went for the kill and took the lead in the 13th minute with Mario Lemina heading home unmarked from Pablo Sarabia’s cross.

Wolves’ supporters were still celebrating it being 1-0 when it became 2-0 as, 12 seconds after Brentford’s restart, Hwang walked the ball into an empty net. Collins’ back pass was short as Hwang got to the ball before Mark Flekken.

Frank’s team got themselves back into the game when Neal Maupay’s ball over the top found Yoane Wissa to make it 2-1 after 16 minutes.

Yet it became 3-1 when Collins launched a long pass forward in the 28th minute, though we cannot say he was directly at fault for what happened next.

Toti headed the ball back where it came from as Hwang flicked it over the head of Ethan Pinnock before beating Flekken. It was a goal to sum up his confidence this season, yet he needed substituting when he dropped down holding his back. 

Mario Lemina scored his second headed goal in successive games to open the scoring

Brentford struggled to impose themselves on the game and continue their indifferent form

‘I think it’s not a big injury,’ Hwang said afterwards, with manager Gary O’Neil adding: ‘It’s only a back spasm. That’s 10 Premier League goals for him now, an unbelievable return.’

Before the break, Wissa’s cut-back left Maupay with the chance to score, but the striker filling in for Mbeumo lacked composure as he sliced wide.

Wolves were winless in their last 14 Premier League trips to London but looked determined to hold on to this lead as the away support sang their manager’s name on repeat.

Wolves still posed a threat on the counter and Matheus Cunha struck the post from one breakaway. It was the 79th minute when the scoreline was completed as Collins yet again surrendered possession in front of his own box for Bellegarde to score, capping another memorable night for Wolves under O’Neil.