Wolves will be on a high after securing a spot in the FA Cup quarter-final with a win over Brighton last night, however, Gary O’Neil has been warned over the fitness and form of one of his stars.
Wolves progressed to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Wednesday evening with a 1-0 win over Premier League rivals Brighton.
Despite it being a quick start from the hosts, as Mario Lemina opened the scoring after two minutes, it was a nervy night for Molineux as the visitors dominated the fixture.
Gary O’Neil’s team deserve a lot of credit for sealing the win with a clean sheet as Brighton enjoyed 72% possession and forced Wolves into making 39 clearances, via Sofascore.
The squad was serenaded by Molineux due to their efforts although, one player was left leaving some concerned over his performance.
Wolves told Hwang Hee-chan looked fatigued against Brighton
Wolves forward Hwang Hee-chan was withdrawn in the second half after sustaining a hamstring injury, which the manager has since touched upon.
Speaking after the game, O’Neil admitted that he would be “amazed” if the Korean would be able to feature against Newcastle United on Saturday.
Aside from his unfortunate injury, the 28-year-old had his overall performances in 2024 questioned by journalist duo Liam Keen and Nathan Judah, who expressed their concerns during episode 329 of the E&S Wolves Podcast.
Judah opened the discussion by saying:
“Hwang has definitely not been the same since he returned from the Asia Cup,” explaining that travel and the minutes he played at the tournament are contributing factors.
“He’s definitely taken a dip after the Asia Cup coming back, these last two or three games he hasn’t really been himself.”
Keen echoed Judah’s thoughts, adding that O’Neil had revealed that the 28-year-old has recently “struggled” in training.
“He’s looked tired, off the pace, he’s the kind of player who needs an arm around the shoulder and a bit of confidence. I think he’s lost a little bit of that with the fitness issues he’s had.”
“O’Neil said in the press conference that he’s been struggling with things in training that he hasn’t struggled with before and he’s not quite there fitness-wise.”
Rest is certainly needed for Hwang Hee-chan after the Brighton win
It seems as though Hwang will finally get the rest he looks as though he needs if his hamstring injury requires a spell on the sidelines.
The Korean netted 10 goals and recorded three assists in the first half of the season but is yet to contribute to goal in 2024.
Aside from his actions in front of goal, the Wolves forward has looked to be a far more lethargic version of himself, with a rest probably the best step for the 28-year-old to take in the bid to rediscover his form.