Wolves are back in Premier League action on Wednesday – and new signing Matheus Cunha ought to be thrown straight into the starting XI.
Wanderers closed out 2022 with a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United, missing the chance to climb out of the relegation zone.
Marcus Rashford scored in the second-half, and the Red Devils took all three points in a frustrating afternoon for Wolves.
Julen Lopetegui’s side put in a decent performance that perhaps deserved a point at least.
Wolves created a number of decent chances in the game.
But it was the same old story in that any cutting edge was sorely lacking.
Diego Costa battled as he always does. But it is so very clear that he is a far cry away from the player that devastated defences for Chelsea.
And Raul Jimenez couldn’t show a great deal as he went on for the closing stages.
The situation really is worrying, and therefore Lopetegui should now get Matheus Cunha straight into the starting XI against Aston Villa.
He is now eligible to play, and it just feels as though Wolves need to do something different.
New Wolves signing Matheus Cunha needs starting role against Aston Villa
It is starting to feel as though Costa will never score in a Wolves shirt.
Surely Lopetegui should unleash his new signing on the Villans on Wednesday, and through the middle as well.
Costa simply hasn’t done enough to warrant keeping his starting berth.
The manager could go with Jimenez, but Cunha is a fresh option who could relish playing in a local derby for his first start.
Villa were a team reportedly keen on signing Cunha, and so the Brazilian may be raring to show them what they missed out on.