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 in the Premier League.

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 struggled initially 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 Iversen.

Minutes later, another returning Wolves player, Raul Jimenez, almost grabbed the second 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 Iversen 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 Jimenez 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.

Preston North End boss Paul Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire: "Tough one. We huffed and puffed and really tried and competed.

"When they opened us up in the first half, it was when we overcommitted and we made a rash decision. Try to give [Wolves] credit, I thought they defended excellently.

"The second goal made it difficult; we were just about to make changes. Credit to the players, they carried on. Even at 3-0 we carried on.

"We would need everything 100% right to beat them. I think the quality is undoubted, you could see that. You have seen before the teams with the quality don't play with the intensity and hunger, but they did.

"The quality they are bringing on and the depth, it's a little bit different to us."

Wolves head coach Cesar Peixoto told BBC Radio WM: "I'm happy with the performance, in the first half more difficult, a little bit more difficult, but we have the best chances.

"In the second half we managed well the pressure of the opponent and we played like I want with the ball - attract the team and expose the spaces.

"I think we can score more. I'm a little angry because we concede one goal and I don't want to concede one goal, I want a clean sheet. It's normal. But it was a good game for us.

"Congratulations for the players, thank you to our supporters because you help us to win these three points. A lot of people came to support the team. It's very important we stay together. The Championship is very tough and we need all the people around us to support and we need three points."