Ruben Neves is suspended for this weekend’s game with Chelsea – and Joao Gomes should be the man to replace him for Wolves.
Julen Lopetegui is putting his players through their paces ahead of another huge game.
Wanderers could only manage a 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Results elsewhere since that game mean Wolves are now just one point above the relegation zone.
It is a very worrying time at the moment, and Wolves must now try and get a result against Chelsea without Neves.
He picked up his 10th yellow card of the season at the City Ground. He will now serve a two-game ban.
Lopetegui will be wondering how best to replace him – and one wonders if starting Gomes this weekend has crossed his mind.
The £15 million Brazilian youngster has only made a handful of appearances since his arrival from Flamengo in January.
So far, he has made just one start – against Leeds before the international break.
Potentially, this could be a good game for him to come in.
Mario Lemina will surely start – he’s been great since signing and Lopetegui clearly really likes him at holding midfield.
And then it’s about who will accompany the Gabon international.
Gomes should definitely be considered, as his workmanlike style could be good here.
Wolves can’t be letting the likes of Enzo Fernandez and Mateo Kovacic knock the ball around in midfield.
So Lopetegui needs a midfield packed with energy and tenacity. South American expert Tim Vickery described Gomes as ‘certainly combative’ just before he completed his move to Wolves.
Joao Gomes should be considered to start for Wolves against Chelsea
Gomes must be itching for a chance.
He was decent in that 4-2 defeat to Leeds, and it’s clear he’s going to be a great player for Wolves.
It would be a bold move to hand him a start against Chelsea.
But Lopetegui may be inclined, with Nunes again failing to have much of an impact against Forest.
Or he may fancy a three-man midfield with Lemina, Nunes and Gomes all in there.
Joao Moutinho started against Forest and again showed that he doesn’t quite have the same influence as when he comes off the bench.
Boubacar Traore is now back in the picture for Wolves but is surely lacking that match sharpness, which is another reason why it feels like Gomes should be getting the nod.