Wolves are facing a hugely important three months. The Old Gold have just 11 league games to secure top flight survival and must do so without the help of Matheus Cunha for at least three of those matches.
Cunha’s senseless straight red card against Bournemouth has heaped the pressure on Vitor Pereira, who must now find a way to manage without the talented Brazilian.
Rodrigo Gomes has returned to training following recent injury, but the Old Gold will need more than just attacking options if they’re to avoid being relegated.
READ: Vitor Pereira receives much-needed injury boost as Wolves star set to return to first team training
Nelson Semedo vital to Wolves’ hopes of survival
Nelson Semedo is approaching the end of his Wolves contract and will become a free agent in the summer.
Although his future remains up in the air, according to Liam Keen, the 31-year-old, who has received his fair share of criticism over the years, is going to be vital in Wolves’ 11 remaining games.
“We’ve spoken a lot about Nelson Semedo and how good he is off the field. He’s an excellent professional. He’s good in the dressing room,” he said on The Keen and Judah Show.
“He’s calm, he’s cool, he’s collected, and those kind of characters, just to bring the heat down a little bit, i.e. what happened at the end of the Bournemouth game, are gonna be crucial to this side, because if they think the pressure’s on in an FA Cup fifth round at Bournemouth, no disrespect to them, pressure is certainly going to be on when you’re going into the next few games.
“Coming up are some massive, massive fixtures and Semedo will be a very, very key and crucial part of that.”
Semedo has already started in 22 Premier League games this season and is certain to be one of the first names on the Wolves manager’s team sheet until May.
11 cup finals
Even though Wolves won’t actually be playing in a cup final this season after crashing out, on penalties, to Bournemouth on Saturday, they must play their final 11 league games like they are.
Out of the four teams at the bottom of the table, Wolves are in the best position. Not only do they have the most favourable run-in, they’re already five points clear of Leicester City and Ipswich Town.
Their destiny is in their own hands and only their mistakes can cost them their top flight status.
Semedo, like some other Wolves first team players, will need to lean on his vast experience as he is asked to play a key role in his manager’s five-man defence.