Wolverhampton Wanderers will be hoping to remain outside of the bottom three in the Premier League as they prepare to take on Bournemouth at the Molineux on Saturday.
Gary O’Neil’s side are above 18th-placed Ipswich Town on goal difference and are one point above Crystal Palace in 19th, which means that they could end the weekend in 19th place if results do not go their way.
A win against the Cherries would almost guarantee their place outside of the relegation zone, though, unless Ipswich and other teams muster up big wins, and that should be the aim on Saturday.
The Old Gold secured their second win of the Premier League season last time out, beating Fulham 4-1 at Craven Cottage, and have to follow that up with another positive performance and result.
Goals from Matheus Cunha (x2), Joao Gomes, and Goncalo Guedes sealed all three points for Wolves against Marco Silva’s side, as Cunha starred once again for the club this season.
The Brazilian magician has enjoyed a terrific start to the 2024/25 campaign and has emerged as a huge talent and asset for O’Neil in the midlands.
Matheus Cunha's form this season
The 25-year-old forward has showcased his ability as both a scorer and a creator of goals on a regular basis in the Premier League so far this term, to become a shining light in a disappointing team that has only won two matches.
As a goalscorer, Cunha has found the back of the net seven times from an xG of just 3.13 and he has only missed one ‘big chance’. This shows that the attacker has been incredibly ruthless in front of goal as he has not wasted many opportunities to score.
The Brazil international scored 12 goals from 9.49 xG across 32 appearances in the Premier League during the 2023/24 campaign, and is now on course to better his tally in the current term.
Appearances
32
12
xG
9.49
3.13
Goals
12
7
Big chances created
7
9
Assists
7
3
As you can see in the table above, Cunha’s current form would mean that he would end the season with more goals, more ‘big chances’ created, and more assists than he managed in the previous campaign.
He has, quite simply, been electric for Wolves and his quality in the final third will be crucial to their chances of avoiding relegation down to the Championship. The Brazilian ace, in fact, scored two and provided one assist in the 4-1 win over Fulham to lift the team out of the bottom three last weekend.
Whilst Cunha thrived at Craven Cottage, one player who could be dropped from the starting XI after an underwhelming display is attacking midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.
Why Jean-Ricner Bellegarde should be dropped
The French gem started as one of the two number tens behind Jorgen Strand Larsen, alongside Cunha, but was unable to produce a quality performance with his work in or out of possession for the Old Gold.
It was his first start since the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in September and he did not do enough to suggest that O’Neil should select him from the start for a second match in succession.
Bellegarde has managed one goal and one assist in 11 appearances and seven starts in the Premier League so far this season, after he was unable to add to his tally of goals or assists in the convincing win over the Cottagers.
Minutes
87
Shots
0
Key passes
0
Dribbles completed
1/2
Duels won
3/7
As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old attacking midfielder had very little impact on the game as he ended his appearance with zero shots and zero chances created for his teammates.
The former Strasbourg star also failed to offer much out of possession for his side, with three of his seven duels won and one tackle completed, whilst being dribbled past once.
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O’Neil must, now, ruthlessly ditch the former Ligue 1 ace from the starting XI for this home clash with Bournemouth, as Goncalo Guedes could come in as a superior option at the top end of the pitch.
Why Goncalo Guedes should be unleashed
The Portuguese whiz returned to Molineux in the summer after spells with Benfica and Villarreal on loan during the 2023/24 campaign and is now fighting for a regular spot in the team under O’Neil.
Guedes scored one goal in 13 Premier League matches during the 2022/23 season, after his move from Valencia, but seemed to find his form again in Spain last term.
In nine starts in LaLiga during the second half of last season, the 28-year-old whiz produced three goals from 2.3 xG and two assists from four ‘big chances’ created.
Guedes, who was once hailed as a “great talent” by ex-PSG icon Pauleta, has since shown plenty of promise in limited minutes with Wolves in the current campaign.
The experienced forward came off the bench against Fulham last weekend to score the fourth goal in the game, getting on the end of Larsen’s pass to rifle an accurate shot into the bottom corner.
Appearances
2
Starts
2
Goals
3
Big chances missed
0
Big chances created
1
As you can see in the table above, Guedes also caught the eye with his performances in the League Cup earlier this term, with three goals and one ‘big chance’ created in starts against Burnley and Brighton.
This means that the Portuguese winger has produced four goals, one assist, and two ‘big chances’ created in 11 appearances and two starts in all competitions for Wolves this season.
The former Valencia star’s goalscoring form for Villarreal and Wolves in 2024 suggests that he could be perfect alongside Cunha as a second attacking midfielder, as the Brazilian has only been rewarded with three assists from nine ‘big chances’ created in the league.
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Guedes is a player with the finishing quality to make the most of Cunha’s creativity and that is why Bellegarde should be dropped from the XI for the 28-year-old against Bournemouth.
