Wolves v Bournemouth: Wolves injury crisis eases as key men set for return

Gary O’Neil is poised to welcome back three senior players into his Wolves starting XI, after admitting he couldn’t have foreseen the scale of their injury crisis.

Mario Lemina, Pablo Sarabia and Rayan Ait-Nouri are all expected to start against Bournemouth tonight while, in a further boost, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde could be back in the squad after making a quicker than expected return from a knee injury.

Matheus Cunha and Nelson Semedo are also pushing to be involved as the club’s injury woes finally show signs of easing. O’Neil will leave any decision on the latter pair’s involvement until as late as possible. Wolves have taken just two points from their last six matches to all but extinguish hopes of challenging for Europe. O’Neil recently revealed he had warned the club’s hierarchy in January the squad was at risk of burnout.

But yesterday he added: “Even I did not foresee it being as bad as it is now. There is another side to that, obviously, in terms of looking at why we have had the injuries and if there is anything we can do to make sure we don’t get them.

“I have seen the suggestion I should have rotated earlier, which we could have done but we might have been on 34 points now, rather than 43.

“There are no shortcuts at this level. Having your best players available to you and having good players available is key to collecting points. The club fully understand the situation and will do the best they can (in the summer).”

O’Neil yesterday insisted any discussions over summer business, including the possibility of a new contract for himself, will wait until the summer. For now, his focus is on the remaining five matches as his team try to finish the season with a flourish.

The boss has been encouraged by the attitude of his players in recent weeks and wants that to continue right to the end of the campaign.

“It doesn’t just stop in the summer, these five games are a continuation on what we can do,” he said.

“It’s very difficult at the moment with the players we have out but there’s still lots to learn from that.

“We were willing to give everything against Arsenal at home and the performance showed there are no thoughts of people going on holiday. We’re still working to be the best team possible.”

O’Neil said facing Bournemouth, the club who sacked him after one year in charge last summer, provided no extra motivation. The Cherries sit a point and two places below Wolves in the table.

“If you did that in football you’d constantly be competing with teams and people you left behind,” O’Neil said. “You move on all the time. I’m pleased they are doing well and I think the whole football club has progressed fantastically well.

“I had an opportunity I enjoyed (at Bournemouth), a tough opportunity. I managed to make a decent go of it, hence my opportunity at a big club like Wolves.”

Wolves’ head coach was also asked if he had any sympathy for referee Stuart Attwell, who takes charge at Molineux tonight after being plunged into a storm following Nottingham Forest’s extraordinary criticism of his appointment – and performance – in their defeat at Everton on Sunday.

“Stuart is a good professional who will be able to handle refereeing a Premier League game, no problem,” said O’Neil. “If you are in this industry whether officiating, managing or playing there is a possibility you have to come off the back of something difficult and get ready to go again.

“That is the nature of the industry. I am sure the last couple of days have not gone exactly how he would have wanted. But I am sure he will be ready to officiate tomorrow and do a good job.”