Wolves’ injury problems are beginning to ease ahead of their Premier League clash with Bournemouth on Wednesday, with Matheus Cunha, Nelson Semedo and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde potentially available for selection.
Wolves have seen their European push derailed by injuries to a number of key players, and they only had 10 senior outfielders fit enough to start against Arsenal on Saturday.
Youngster Tawanda Chirewa was drafted in while several other players were used in makeshift roles, with Gary O’Neil’s men giving a decent account of themselves in a 2-0 loss.
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O’Neil’s former club Bournemouth are the next visitors to Molineux on Wednesday, and he could see three players return to his matchday squad for the game.
“I wouldn’t declare them fit yet, but some are still having tests that may give them an opportunity to be involved,” O’Neil said.
“Nelson’s looking better, which is good, Matheus Cunha is doing all he can to be involved, Bellegarde had a good week and is doing much, much better.
Matheus Cunha scored this beauty the last time we faced Bournemouth 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/7V9rluVqbC
— Wolves (@Wolves) April 23, 2024
“We’re going to look at them again tomorrow because we have all day tomorrow to make sure that people are in good shape.”
As a knock-on effect of Wolves’ injury woes, O’Neil had to manage other players’ minutes against Arsenal, with Luton Town also due to visit Molineux at the end of a busy week this Saturday.
Rayan Ait-Nouri, Mario Lemina and Pablo Sarabia were limited to substitute roles last time out, but all three players should be able to feature from the off against Bournemouth.
“Rayan will be fit to start, if we deem that to be the right way to go,” O’Neil said.
“Pablo had had a tight groin off the back of Nottingham Forest and we felt that three starts in a week would be tricky for him, but he should be available to start the next two if we choose to do that.
“Mario is available to play so we are in a better spot. That doesn’t mean that I’m going to have loads more available to start, but it is moving in the right direction.”
