Wolves could be handed a significant boost after the international break with Matheus Cunha set to return to the squad however, journalist Liam Keen has shared one thing he will be surprised to see regarding the Brazilian.
The return of Matheus Cunha will come at the perfect time for Wolves, who have seen their front line depleted by injury.
Gary O’Neil has watched his side lose Pedro Neto, Hwang Hee-chan, Cunha and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde in recent weeks, causing a detrimental impact on the squad.
Against Coventry City, Pablo Sarabia represented the only senior forward available, with defensive midfielder Mario Lemina and 19-year-old Nathan Fraser joining the attack to bolster the front line.
With the international break now preparing to commence, Wolves are out of action until their clash with Aston Villa on 30th March, giving O’Neil time to assess the fitness of his squad.
Matheus Cunha could return at the perfect time for Wolves
After being forced to withdraw in the first half against Brentford at the start of February, O’Neil has been without Cunha for the previous five fixtures in all competitions.
The Brazilian’s absence came at the worst time for both Wolves and their striker, as he was in searing form prior to sustaining a hamstring injury.
Now, the 24-year-old could return at a critical time for the Old Gold, with his restoration to training last week signifying how close the forward is to being available for selection.
It seems as though the clash with Villa could be the fixture in which Cunha returns, in what will be a huge boost for Wolves considering their current injury list in attack.
The ‘massive shock’ that Matheus Cunha could cause Wolves v Aston Villa
That being said, O’Neil will not want to rush the return of the Brazil international, who will be crucial to the run-in as the 2023/24 campaign nears the home straight.
Journalist Liam Keen shared his verdict on Cunha’s pending return to action, sharing what would ‘shock’ him in regard to the £60k-a-week star’s involvement against Villa.
Speaking on The Keen & Judah Show, the journalist said:
“If all goes well over the next couple of weeks, he will be available for Villa and you would imagine that means he’s on the bench.”
“It’d be a massive shock to see him start the game.”
“Any return to the squad for that Villa game which is such a massive fixture will be a huge plus for Wolves and Gary O’Neil.”
Having contributed to 10 goals in the eight games before his exit against Brentford, Cunha will hope to return to the highly impactful form that he showed prior to his injury blow.
The Villa fixture will be crucial for Wolves’ battle to claim a European finish in the Premier League, with the 24-year-old’s inclusion set to be a major boost.