Wolves will return to Molineux with a spring in their step on Saturday, but know ending their run without a Premier League win is crucial.
1 | Roll Call
Gary O’Neil has no fresh injury concerns heading into Saturday evening, but he will still be without Hee Chan Hwang, Yerson Mosquera, Boubacar Traore, Sasa Kalajdzic and Enso Gonzalez for the visit of Crystal Palace. He has been given a recent boost with French centre-back Bastien Meupiyou joining full training this week, with the 19-year-old yet to make his senior bow in Old Gold having moved to Molineux in the summer with an injury. Mario Lemina went off at half-time of the fightback draw with Brighton last weekend, but the head coach is hopeful that the skipper will be fit enough to take to the pitch under the Molineux lights. Sam Johnstone has missed out on the last two games with a slight knock, although the goalkeeper has been training fully this week, so will give O’Neil a decision to make as to who he chooses between the sticks.
Despite moving in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday evening with victory over Aston Villa, Crystal Palace did not come through the game unscathed, with England stars Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton both coming off the pitch injured in the first half. Oliver Glasner did provide an update on both players after the game, indicating midfielder Wharton should be back fit for the visit to Molineux on Saturday evening after feeling an issue with his groin, but it is not yet known the severity of Eze’s hamstring issue which forced him off after putting Palace ahead against Villa in midweek. Glasner will be without Matheus Franca, Chadi Riad, Chris Richards, Rob Holding and Jefferson Lerma for Saturday’s clash, but could welcome back Cheick Doucoure after his return from an ankle injury.
2 | The Stat Pack
Goals
- Matheus Cunha | 4
- Jean-Philippe Mateta | 5
Assists
- Eberechi Eze | 2
- Rayan Ait-Nouri | 2
Biggest win
- Wolves 2-0 Burnley (CC) | August 2024
- Crystal Palace 4-0 Norwich (CC) | August 2024
Yellow cards
- Will Hughes | 4
- Nelson Semedo | 4
Clean sheets
- Dan Bentley | 1
- Dean Henderson | 3
3 | Journey to Saturday
Wolves will hope that their season is set to swing on last weekend’s dramatic late comeback at Brighton & Hove Albion. Although the Old Gold are still without a win in the Premier League, coming from two goals down at the Amex and equalising in added time has given the group some positive momentum. Gary O’Neil’s side are without a result on home soil this weekend but came so close to earning a point last time there against champions Manchester City. The memory of their poor showing at Brentford has faded with two positive displays, but Wolves know it’s victories which will take them out of trouble.
Palace will think similar heading into Saturday, however. The Eagles were too without a Premier League win prior to last weekend, but Jean-Philipe Mateta scored the only goal to get them off the mark against Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park. That win lifted Oliver Glasner’s side out of the drop zone, above Ipswich Town. Previously, they’d recorded three defeats on the spin to Everton, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. Palace’s only point away from home this season came at Chelsea at the start of September, but after last season’s fine ending, they’ll have expected a more positive start this time around.
Cunha completing the comeback late on! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/8MTPa8iH0c
— Wolves (@Wolves) October 26, 2024
4 | Soaring past the Eagles and to safety
Wolves all but secured their Premier League status with victory over Crystal Palace in April 2023. Julen Lopetegui’s side had already done much of the hard work needed, but a goal at the start and end of a midweek clash with Palace was another big step in the right direction. Joachim Andersen’s own goal after just three minutes settled the nerves and in the closing stages Ruben Neves scored from the spot, after Pedro Neto was fouled, sealed three big points.
Wolves | Sa, Semedo, Dawson, Kilman, H Bueno (Toti 79), Lemina, Neves, Nunes (Neto 89), Hwang (Adama 79), Cunha (J Gomes 68), Costa (Collins 89).
Palace | Johnstone, Richards, Guehi, Andersen (Ward 45), Mitchell, Milivojevic (Schlupp 65), Lokonga (Edouard 65), Hughes (Mateta 89), Eze, Ayew.
