It’s derby day on Sunday and below wolves.co.uk presents the main talking points ahead of the first West Bromwich Albion clash with fans at Molineux in 14 years.
Roll call
Raul Jimenez is Wolves' high profile absentee, with the Mexican picking up a knee injury in Wednesday's Carabao Cup tie at Everton. He joins Yerson Mosquera and Rafiki Said in the treatment room. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde stepped up his return from injury with his first minutes of the season at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Right-back Nolan Galves will miss the derby for West Brom. He suffered a knee injury against Derby County recently and faces a spell on the sidelines, joining Mikey Johnson who remains out with a long-term ankle injury he picked up in February.
The form guide
Peixoto rang the changes at Everton, with nine tweaks to his side from Sheffield United a week ago, and he will have been encouraged by what he saw, with Joao Virginia, Ghislain Konan and Sean Neave all impressing on their full debuts in the narrow loss. Prior to that, Jimenez scored a late winner at Bramall Lane last time out in the Championship, while it was a 2-2 draw at Birmingham City previous to that. Sunday will be the Old Gold’s first Molineux fixture in nearly a month, when Stoke City were beaten 4-1 at the end of August.
West Brom drew 1-1 with QPR last weekend, with Callum Styles cancelling out Chris Mepham’s own goal to earn a point at the Hawthorns. That draw extended the Baggies’ unbeaten run to four matches, following 1-0 wins over Watford and Derby County, and a 1-1 draw at home to Charlton Athletic. They’ve been beaten once in the Championship, at Middlesbrough in August, and currently sit in fourth on 14 points.
Derby bragging rights
In 2011, Wolves’ win over rivals West Bromwich Albion was doubly significant for the majority inside Molineux – bragging rights and a big step towards Premier League survival. Mick McCarthy’s side ran away with the Black Country derby from the moment Steven Fletcher slammed home on 15 minutes. Adlene Guedioura had provided the assist, and Fletcher soon returned the favour for the midfielder to double the Old Gold’s lead. Fletcher slotted home the third, while Peter Odemwingie netted a consolation from the bench. The win lifted Wolves above Wigan Athletic, Blackpool and the bottom three with two matches remaining.
Wolves | Hennessey, Elokobi, Craddock, Ward, Mancienne, Foley, Henry, Hunt, O’Hara (Stearman 80), Guedioura (Jarvis 74), Fletcher (Ebanks-Blake 84).
McCarthy said: “It is pleasing and timely to be out of the bottom three. But I am still fully aware that there is work to be done. Fletcher has scored some important goals and it is lovely to be proved right. I spent millions. He was my first choice. That is why I went and got him in the summer before I went on my holidays. I thought it was the best piece of business I could have done. I think he has proved to be exactly what I thought he would be. He was delighted with his goals and I am thrilled with him.”
