Fabio Silva started for the Wolves U23s yesterday.
The 19-year-old featured against Southampton, after only getting on in the final stages against Aston Villa.
Chances for the first-team have been few and far between so far this season for Silva.
Bruno Lage has started Raul Jimenez in seven out of eight Premier League games up to now.
And against Villa, he selected Hwang Hee-chan and Adama Traore as a pair, as he opted to rest the Mexican after international duty.
It was therefore important for Silva to make a solid impression yesterday for James Collins’ side.
The youngsters unfortunately crashed to a 1-0 defeat in tough conditions at Compton Park, with Kazeem Olaigbe netting a penalty in the sixth minute for the visitors.
And it was a tough afternoon for £35.6 million man Silva (BBC Sport), who has handed 70 minutes by Collins.
The teenager had a really good chance to score with a great cross from Luke Cundle, but he headed his effort into the ground and straight at Saints stopper Jack Bycroft.
Journalist Tim Spiers described it as a ‘tough’ 70 minutes for Silva.
Silva needs big performance soon
It is a shame Silva could not take the opportunity afforded to him.
It was probably right that he played yesterday, just to get some minutes into his legs.
Bruno Lage is clearly not fully trusting of the youngster just yet, so he needs to make the most of these chances.
Really, he could do with a big performance soon.
Lage last week ruled out a mid-season loan move for Silva, and so it’s on him to prove he is worthy of more first-team minutes.
He never chose his price tag, but it seems as though it might still be affecting him, which is understandable given his tender years.