watch for our thoughts ahead of wolves v spurs
team news
Wolves forward Matheus Cunha is back after serving a four-match suspension, but head coach Vitor Pereira has confirmed he won’t immediately rejoin the starting lineup. Meanwhile, Yerson Mosquera and Sasa Kalajdzic continue to recover from long-term injuries.
Tottenham report no new injury issues following their Europa League match against Eintracht Frankfurt. Destiny Udogie and Micky van de Ven, who were substituted due to cramp on Thursday, are expected to be rested. Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin, and Dejan Kulusevski remain unavailable, though Kulusevski has resumed training this week.
Vitor Pereia
Pereira confirmed leading scorer Matheus Cunha will not go straight back into his starting XI on his return from suspension: “What is fair? It’s fair to keep going with the same team. That is my opinion. This is football, this is commitment, leadership. Matheus will come to help us, he understands, I had a conversation with him, but I will play the same team.”
Pedro Lima has twisted his ankle and will be unavailable.
Has the team shape changed in Cunha’s absence? “Yes I think so. Tactically when we are attacking we are doing different movements. I am asking different things than when I started. When you start to put more and more things on the system, the system will show you that we can do a lot of things differently. We are trying to improve our style of play, especially with the ball.”
On staying motivated after all but securing survival: “If you relax it’s a big mistake. It’s my responsibility to not allow them to relax because the next game will be very hard for us.”
He stressed the importance of keeping the supporters behind them: “We need to feel the energy and make this connection with the supporters. Of course we are not finished yet, but together we are stronger. If you play with your soul they will be proud, if we don’t press and show courage they will tell us. I want confidence and fight.”
On the challenge posed by Spurs: “We will face a very good team, a strong team. I watched them yesterday, they are with fire. The coach will for sure do some changes but they are still very strong because they have a very good squad.”
match stats & facts
Head-to-head
Wolves are undefeated in four top-flight clashes with Tottenham, winning three and drawing one. They last went five league meetings without defeat to Spurs 55 years ago.
Tottenham have lost on their last two league visits to Molineux – the last time they lost three in a row there was in 1968.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves are attempting to win four successive top-flight matches for the first time since January 1972.
They have kept a clean sheet in all five of their home Premier League victories this term.
Wolves have taken 23 points since Vitor Pereira took over on 19 December, which is more than the bottom three sides combined.
The Portuguese head coach has won seven of his 15 Premier League games in charge, as many as his predecessor Gary O’Neil mustered in his last 34 matches.
Jorgen Strand Larsen is vying to become just the second Wolves player to find the net in four consecutive Premier League games, emulating Henri Camara who scored in five successive matches in 2004.
Matheus Cunha has scored six goals in his last eight appearances for club and country.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur have lost five of their last six games on the road in all competitions and have failed to score in four of those defeats.
Spurs have suffered nine Premier League away defeats this season and only relegated Southampton, with 13, and Leicester City, with 11, have worse away records.
Tottenham’s 31 top-flight games have produced 103 goals this term, the most of any side.
Ange Postecoglou’s side have scored 58 top-flight goals this term and only Liverpool, with 72, have found the net more times.
The Lilywhites have the best goal difference of any side outside the current top six.
James Maddison has scored twice and provided two assists in his last four appearances in compeitions.
Son Heung-min’s only goal in his past 15 games was a penalty at home to Bournemouth in March.
match officials
Referee: Anthony Taylor. Assistants: Gary Beswick, Wade Smith. Fourth official: Rob Jones. VAR: Michael Oliver. Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis.
match info
This one is a 2pm kick off on Sunday 13th April at Molineux, it’s not shown live on UK television.