One major mistake Gary O’Neil made in the 1-0 win over Sheffield United could come back to haunt the manager.
Wolves did just enough on Sunday afternoon to overcome the Blades at Molineux. It was far from a classic encounter as Pablo Sarabia’s header was enough to separate the sides at the final whistle.
The result was an important one for Wolves as it took them to eighth place in the Premier League, which could well secure European football at the end of the season.
Despite coming away with the win, there is one key mistake O’Neil made in the match which could come back to bite him.
Lack of substitutions could cost Wolves
In the Sheffield United game, O’Neil only opted to make three substitutions, all of which came on in the 77th minute or later.
This was despite Wolves playing poorly in the second half, with the Blades causing all sorts of issues for the hosts.
This could come back to bite Wolves on Wednesday night. Wolves host Brighton looking to secure a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
The match is arguably Wolves’ biggest game of the season so far, with the club having a real chance of reaching Wembley this campaign. However, O’Neil’s lack of substitutions may cause the players to develop fatigue in the upcoming match.
Brighton have always caused Wolves an issue, and the Molineux side have only beaten them five times in their history. O’Neil even lost his first game at Molineux to the Seagulls in a heavy 4-1 defeat.
It is clear Wolves will need to be at their best, and with Brighton having an extra day’s rest, it could prove to be the difference, especially if it goes to extra-time.
O’Neil could have taken off some stars earlier on against Sheffield United. The Blades weren’t particularly impressive and it was more of Wolves being poor that caused the match to be a close one.
Wolves have a real opportunity against Brighton
One trick O’Neil has up his sleeve is that there are plenty of players who could come into the team on Wednesday night.
Tommy Doyle was fantastic when Joao Gomes was suspended, and he netted the equaliser in the third round against Brentford. Nathan Fraser could also come off the bench to be a threat in the tie, as he proved against the Bees with an equalising goal.
A victory against Brighton would really get fans dreaming of an FA Cup victory. This is all thanks to O’Neil and the brilliant job he is doing. Hopefully, Wolves will get the job done in the week and progress onwards and upwards.