With the international football on the horizon, there’s time for one final Premier League match, as Wolves welcome Leeds United to Molineux, and wolves.co.uk presents the four Talking Points.
#1 All change since the opening day
Back in August, Wolves and Leeds kicked their season off against each other at Elland Road but now in the return fixture both clubs have different men in the dugouts. Julen Lopetegui has had a positive impact at Molineux since the World Cup, while Javi Gracia’s arrival has been more recent, but also encouraging. Leeds beat Southampton in the manager’s first game, before suffering defeat to Fulham, in the FA Cup, and Chelsea. Last weekend Jack Harrison earned his side a point against Brighton & Hove Albion and now the Yorkshiremen face three of their next four against teams in and around them in the Premier League table.
The Leeds side now isn’t too dissimilar to the opening day – only three of those starting that day didn’t feature against the Seagulls last time out. Of the Wolves starting eleven back in August, only two didn’t face Newcastle United last weekend, with Leander Dendoncker and Morgan Gibbs-White since leaving the club. Seven members of the squad at St James’ Park weren’t at the club on the opening day and the strength in depth on the bench last weekend will have given Lopetegui food for thought.
#2 Not afraid to switch things up
That improved strength in depth has been utilised by Lopetegui since his arrival at Molineux. Since the Spaniard’s first game in charge of Wolves on Boxing Day, no club has made as many substitutes in games – the old gold have made their maximum five changes in all but one of Lopetegui’s matches in charge, in the 1-1 draw at Fulham. Since Christmas, Wolves have made an average of 4.9 substitutes each game and their changes have arrived on average their substitutes on 62.9 minutes, which is the earliest of anyone in the division. In Wolves’ last home outing against Tottenham Hotspur, a trio of introductions in Joao Moutinho, Raul Jimenez and Adama Traore combined for the winning goal and Lopetegui won’t be afraid to make changes to try and impact tomorrow’s game, history would suggest.
Hee Chan Hwang scored off the bench last week, and would have been eyeing a starting spot, had it not been for injury. There’s better news for Pablo Sarabia and Matheus Cunha, who have been declared fit. Leeds have their own injury issue however. Tyler Roberts has missed all but two of their Premier League fixtures but will not be available due to a hamstring injury. Their captain Liam Cooper however has been declared fit and will travel with the squad.
#3 Box office Premier League
Over the past fortnight, the distance between bottom half Premier League clubs has shortened significantly. Just five points sit between Crystal Palace in 12th and Southampton in 20th, with seven clubs sandwiched. Wolves and Leeds are two of those seven and a win would be significant for either. For Wolves, a seven-point buffer on a rival would be a psychological boost going into the away end, while Leeds can pull their opponents further into the pack and only one point away. The Molineux fixture is the only one in the Premier League involving two of the bottom nine and gives one an opportunity to improve their position significantly.
For Wolves, their last nine Premier League goals have been scored by nine different players, including two own goals. In each of Wolves’ five Premier League victories at Molineux, they’ve kept clean sheets, but the history books suggest there will be goals. There has not been a goalless draw between Wolves and Leeds since August 2004, while the last stalemate in the top division came in March 1973.
When the free kick is just too good.#WOLLEE pic.twitter.com/EQBQAAYxRQ
— Wolves (@Wolves) March 17, 2023
#4 They’ve met before
In Wolverhampton on Saturday afternoon, two Spaniards will lock horns in the dugouts, but it’s not the first time they’ve gone head-to-head. Lopetegui and Javi Gracia met three before in the 2020/21 season, with the now Wolves head coach at Sevilla and Gracia leading Valencia at the time. On all three of those occasions, Lopetegui was victorious, winning 1-0 in both of the La Liga fixtures, when football was played behind closed doors. That year, Lopetegui’s Sevilla team enjoyed a run to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, and on their way there, they beat Valencia 3-0 at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan – their biggest victory of the season.
While Lopetegui was confirmed as Wolves’ new head coach when Leeds came to town in the Carabao Cup in November, he had a watching brief as Steve Davis and James Collins led the side to victory. That means Saturday’s clash will be the first time Lopetegui has managed against Leeds in his career. By contrast, Gracia has faced Wolves on three occasions, all while Watford manager in the 2018/19 season. With Wolves new to the Premier League and Watford enjoying an impressive season, each clash was a battle as Wolves lost to the Hornets at Molineux in the October. The following April the two clubs met at Wembley for the FA Cup semi-final, which saw Gracia’s side cause heartbreak on their opponents, but in the Premier League just 20 days later Diogo Jota scored the winner to inflict Wolves’ revenge at Vicarage Road. Gracia was sacked the following September and was out of Premier League management until his appointment at Elland Road.
