Wolves are taking on Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday and are gunning for a third straight victory – and Julen Lopetegui might be considering starting Diego Costa.
Wanderers are in a great moment having just beaten Liverpool and Southampton.
Last weekend’s comeback win against the Saints felt like a very significant result.
To have taken all three points, having been a goal and a man down, was very impressive.
It’s clear that confidence and morale is high right now. And Wolves now have a brilliant chance of beating Bournemouth, who are struggling.
Wolves will be forced to make one change against the Cherries.
Mario Lemina cannot feature after controversially getting sent off against Southampton.
The early talk has been about which other midfielder will replace the Gabon star. But it could be that Lopetegui isn’t thinking like that.
Costa came on against Southampton last weekend and probably had his best outing in a Wolves shirt.
He was only on for half an hour or so. But he made a huge difference for Wolves, offering the team a focal point.
He could be someone that comes in in place of Lemina, with Lopetegui switching up the system.
Diego Costa’s cameo against Southampton may earn him Bournemouth start, with Mario Lemina suspended
Lopetegui went with a 4-4-2 formation against Liverpool. It included Matheus Cunha and Pablo Sarabia up top.
Maybe the Spaniard will consider that formation again, with Costa coming in to replace Lemina.
Sarabia could move out to the right, and Nunes could play from the left again like he did against the Reds.
That would leave Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho to play as a two in the middle.
Alternatively, perhaps Cunha could play from the left, allowing Nunes to come into the middle with Neves and Moutinho.
It feels a little soon for Joao Gomes – the hero against Southampton – to be starting.
But £50,000-a-week star Costa could definitely be an option for Lopetegui after his influential showing down on the south coast.