Emirates FA Cup fifth round weekend is upon us and Wolves return to AFC Bournemouth for the second week running - here's everything you need to know ahead of kick-off.
1 | Roll Call
Vitor Pereira will welcome back Hee Chan Hwang for the trip to Bournemouth. The South Korean has been out for three weeks with a hamstring problem picked up in the previous round at Blackburn Rovers but has recovered in time to travel. Goncalo Guedes, Emmanuel Agbadou and Rodrigo Gomes are also absent and will need more time before their return to fitness. Sam Johnstone has started the Old Gold’s previous two cup ties this season, so will hope to retain his place between the sticks. Should Pereira freshen up his team from Tuesday, he may turn to Pedro Lima, Tommy Doyle, Pablo Sarabia or Jorgen Strand Larsen. Nasser Djiga came off the bench at Bournemouth last weekend but is yet to make his full Wolves debut.
Andoni Iraola will be without suspended central defender Illia Zabarnyi for Saturday’s cup tie, after he was sent off in last Saturday's Premier League clash between the same two teams. He had played every minute of Premier League action until his dismissal. Ryan Christie hobbled out of Bournemouth’s loss to Brighton & Hove Albion in the week and his manager said it will be “difficult” for him to be available this weekend. Marcos Senesi is out until April with a thigh injury, while Adam Smith is also absent. Enes Unal is out until next season, but Julian Araujo he been given the all clear to return to training.
2 | The Stat Pack
Goals
- Matheus Cunha | 13
- Justin Kluivert | 13
Assists
- Rayan Ait-Nouri | 5
- Justin Kluivert | 6
Biggest win
- Fulham 1-4 Wolves | November 2024
- Bournemouth 5-0 Nottingham Forest | January 2025
Yellow cards
- Ryan Christie | 9
- Nelson Semedo | 7
Clean sheets
- Josa Sa | 5
- Kepa Arrizabalaga | 5
3 | Journey to Saturday
Wolves’ entire Emirates FA Cup journey to this point had come on the road. Back in January Pereira’s side started at Bristol City and progressed at stage one thanks to early goals from Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rodrigo Gomes, despite the Robins pulling a goal back. The following round was a similar story, as the Old Gold scored in the first half through Joao Gomes and Matheus Cunha at Blackburn Rovers and that was enough for a safe passage. More recently in the Premier League, the Old Gold won at Bournemouth last weekend through Cunha’s latest strike but suffered a setback in the week as Fulham won 2-1 at Molineux.
Like tomorrow, the Cherries began their FA Cup journey by hosting Black Country opposition at the Vitality Stadium. Despite falling behind to West Bromwich Albion, Andoni Iraola’s side stormed back to win 5-1, with Dango Ouattara bagging twice in the win. In round four Antoine Semenyo and Daniel Jebbison, in what turned out to be the final ever FA Cup tie at Goodison Park, as Everton were eliminated. They head into Saturday with back-to-back defeats to their name however, with defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion in midweek following the reverse to Pereira’s Wolves.
A fourth of the season for @GomesOficial08 💥 pic.twitter.com/f3Q4RadRzP
— Wolves (@Wolves) February 26, 2025
4 | Winning at the Vitality
Wolves have now won on their previous two trips to the Vitality Stadium, with Sasa Kalajdzic scoring the winner late in the day last season. The Old Gold trailed at the break following Dominic Solanke’s opener, but Cunha swept home a brilliant equaliser following good for from Pedro Neto. Lewis Cook was then sent off for a clash with Hee Chan Hwang. Kalajdzic then came off the bench to score the winner for Gary O’Neil against his former club, with the Austrian guiding home Hwang’s pass to secure a big Wolves win.
Bournemouth | Neto, Kerkez (Senesi 85), Cook, Kelly, Zabarnyi, Aarons, Brooks (Christie 57), Scott (Rothwell 57), Tavernier (Ouattara 75), Billing, Solanke (Moore 85).
Wolves | Sa, Doherty, Kilman, Dawson, Toti (Sarabia 75), Ait-Nouri, Gomes (Doyle 45), Traore, Neto, Hwang, Cunha (Kalajdzic 82).
