Fer Lopez shone as Wolves won away in the league for the first time in 489 days thanks to an impressive display away against Preston North End.

Lopez, a £19m arrival from Celta Vigo last summer, found the net either side of Adam Armstrong’s goal to help his side to a first away victory since April 2025 when they beat Manchester United.

The Spaniard opened the scoring after just eight minutes with a superb individual effort, having picked up possession in his own half.

And two well-worked goals followed after the break as Cesar Peixoto’s men showed their quality.

Preston’s Jordan Thompson netted a consolation in injury time with a well-placed strike from outside the area, but the result means North End open the league campaign with two defeats from two.

Lopez had struggled to settle in the Black Country last season and finished the campaign back on loan at his former club, but has quickly found his feet this term, opening his account in old gold in the League Cup earlier this month.

He showed his quality when he left Preston defender Liam Lindsay for dust before carrying the ball all the way into the opposition’s box and finishing powerfully past Daniel Iverson.

Minutes later, another returning Wolves player, Raul Jiminez, almost grabbed his first goal in his second spell at the club, but the Mexican’s flick from close range went the wrong side of the post.

At the other end, Marshall Munetsi headed Callum Lang’s effort off the line after a spell of pressure from the hosts, who had started slowly.

Rodrigo Gomes almost doubled Wolves’ lead on the stroke of half-time, but Iverson was at full stretch to get a hand to his low strike from the edge of the box.

Both sides made changes after the break with the game at a crossroads, but it was the visitors who prevailed, with Armstrong emerging from the bench to double his side’s lead on 71 minutes after a nice one-two with Jiminez set him free inside the area.

Lopez then finished off another slick move to double his tally from the edge of the box with eight minutes remaining before Thompson produced a smart finish of his own to make it 3-1.