Former Wolves star Lee Naylor believes Julen Lopetegui will turn to Joao Moutinho to replace the suspended Ruben Neves.
Wanderers take on Chelsea on Saturday in another huge Premier League game.
Wanderers are now just one point above the relegation zone following other results in recent days.
Wolves have stuttered in recent weeks, losing to Newcastle United, Leeds United and drawing with Nottingham Forest last weekend.
So a win against Chelsea would be most welcome.
And the Blues look set to announce Frank Lampard as their interim manager, after sacking Graham Potter.
It remains to be seen if he’ll come in and take the team on Saturday, and whether that will be a boost for them.
Wolves will be without their best player Neves, who picked up a 10th yellow card of the season against Forest.
Wolves fans anticipated this situation, and Lopetegui must now work out how best to cover his skipper’s absence.
Suggestions have been flying about on social media. But former Wolves defender Naylor reckons it will be Moutinho that replaces him.
He said on the latest Wolves Weekly podcast: “Moutinho. It’s the only option is it not? For me you can’t replace Neves, because he offers so much on the pitch.
“But Moutinho is the one who I think is going to step in there and going to be that player for us. I think it’s the worst time to play Chelsea.”
Moutinho started the last game against Forest. But he was taken off at half-time as Lopetegui sought to turn things around with Wolves 1-0 down.
Joao Moutinho should not start against Chelsea as Ruben Neves’ replacement
Naylor feels Moutinho will be the man to replace Neves. But that doesn’t feel like it would be the right call.
We have seen on several occasions this season that Moutinho is more impactful from the bench.
That is to be expected given his age now.
Lopetegui should be looking to start either Joao Gomes or Matheus Nunes, or both. With Mario Lemina holding, of course.
Whoever he plumps for though, it’s going to be one really tough game, especially with no Neves to call on.