The Premier League run in is upon us, and Wolves as begin with a trip to Nottingham Forest, wolves.co.uk has the main Talking Points.
#1 The run in is upon us
Saturday’s trip to the City Ground represents the start of the Premier League run in, and for both Wolves and Nottingham Forest, there’s work to be done to secure their place in the top flight next season. Both clubs have tough fixtures remaining on the schedule – both face Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea in the final months – so results against teams around them will be crucial. Only Southampton, Everton and Crystal Palace have played as many games as Wolves in the bottom half, so points in the bag will be Julen Lopetegui’s aim with ten matches remaining. The following midweek, all sides apart from West Ham United will move to their full complement of fixtures played.
Ahead of the City Ground trip, Wolves will know their away form must improve – they’ve won on the road just twice this season, but both came at relegation rivals Everton and Southampton under Lopetegui. Since that win at the Saints in February, the old gold have just one point to show from their last three Premier League trips. If the league table was measured on home form alone, Nottingham Forest would be 12th, as they’ve won five and drawn five of their 12 City Ground outings this term. However, they are without a win in three on home soil, with a late defeat to Newcastle United concluding the previous round of fixtures before the international break.
Focus on Forest 📸 pic.twitter.com/udD91aWQkx
— Wolves (@Wolves) March 30, 2023
#2 Time to do it all over again
Saturday will be the third time Wolves and Forest have travelled across the midlands to face off this season, with the previous two encounters packed with talking points. At Molineux back in October, Wolves claimed their first win under the temporary guidance of Steve Davis and James Collins, as Ruben Neves’ penalty saw off Forest. The hosts were grateful to Jose Sa for his crucial penalty save from Brennan Johnson later in the game, however. Then at the City Ground in January, the Carabao Cup was the focus. Willy Boly scored his only Forest goal to date against his former club, before Raul Jimenez took the game to penalties, where the hosts prevailed.
Neither side enter the third and final showdown in scintillating form, however. Wolves lost three of their four games during March, which was as many as they’d registered under Lopetegui previously, and against Leeds United last time out made uncharacteristic mistakes during a chaotic game. The break likely came at a good time for the Spaniard to refocus his group. Forest’s last game against Newcastle was also eventful, but ended in a 2-1 defeat, meaning Steve Cooper’s side have conceded at least twice in five of their past six games. Having started 2023 with an unbeaten five-match run, Forest are now winless in six.
#3 Unwanted record ends
Goals from Wolves strikers has been a regular talking point during Lopetegui’s press conferences in recent weeks, but Matheus Cunha at last got the attacking department off the mark in the Premier League last time out. The Brazilian’s deflected strike against Leeds was his first for the club and will hopefully provide a springboard for the striker. Jimenez was hugely unlucky to be denied by a fine Illan Meslier save in the same game but bagged on his last trip to the City Ground in January. The Mexican has had more shots without scoring than any other Premier League player with nine, so surely his luck is set to change?
Both Forest and Wolves are the joint lowest scorers in the league alongside Crystal Palace and Everton, but Lopetegui will have taken heart from seeing Pedro Neto back amongst the goals on international duty. The wide man, starting on the left, cut inside and fired home a brilliant finish for the under-21s in their win over Romania. Neto wasn’t the only Wolves man to enjoy a solid international period, with Rayan Ait-Nouri making his Algeria debut and Nathan Collins impressing against World Cup finalists France.
#4 Big decisions to make
The Wolves starting line-up has proved unpredictable in recent weeks and Cooper will join Wolves supporters in trying to guess Lopetegui’s thinking once again this week. The Spaniard will be without his compatriot Jonny, who begins his three-match suspension after being dismissed against Leeds United, however Matheus Nunes will be available after his ban was overturned. Nelson Semedo and Boubacar Traore are also fit to feature, the latter for the first time under Lopetegui, while Hee Chan Hwang is out and Hugo Bueno will be assessed.
Nottingham Forest have used 33 different players in the Premier League this season, which is more than any other team, and they have their own problems to contend with. Striker Chris Wood, who has scored six times against Wolves in his career, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after being injured on international duty. Serge Aurier, Andre Ayew and Gustavo Scarpa were also injured while away and are in doubt for Saturday, but Taiwo Awoniyi and Cheikhou Kouyate are back in training.
