Wolves are taking on Nottingham Forest this weekend – and Julen Lopetegui has got to consider handing a start to Pedro Neto after a strong international break.
Wolves are looking to get things back on track after that awful result against Leeds United.
There was an opportunity to pull clear of the drop zone.
But Wolves faltered at Molineux and were poor in both boxes.
Currently, Wolves sit just three points above relegation, and this clash with Forest is now huge.
Lopetegui will have been racking his brain about how best to set up against the Reds.
But one man he ought to be handing a start to is Neto, who has just had a good couple of outings with the Portugal U21s.
Neto featured against Romania, and scored a really good goal.
He took the ball down the left wing and cut inside on his weaker right foot, before unleashing a great strike into the far corner.
He was one of a number of players to then be taken off at half-time for rotation purposes. But he then got minutes against Norway.
The past few weeks have been about getting minutes into the legs for Neto.
He suffered ankle ligament damage back in October and was on the sidelines for around four months.
It is going to take time for him to get back up to full speed, but he appears to be heading in the right direction.
Pedro Neto on the left against Nottingham Forest, who says no?
Neto’s goal against Romania was superb.
In that moment, he looked like the player that carried Wolves in the 2019/20 season after Raul Jimenez suffered his head injury.
Many feel Neto is much better playing on the left as he is more of a classic get-to-the-byline kind of winger.
Neto had a few games on the right before his injury this season and just didn’t appear as comfortable. He would regularly cut back onto his left foot which made him predictable. It sometimes felt as though he didn’t trust his weaker foot. Clearly, it’s very good as he demonstrated against Romania.
Lopetegui should consider handing a start to Neto against Forest.
Jamie Carragher said recently that he felt Neto could be key for Wolves moving forward, calling him ‘a superstar player’.
He is likely feeling confident after his exploits for the Portugal U21s. Perhaps it would be foolish to keep him in the bench.