Gary O’Neil confirms new Wolves injury blow sustained during Bournemouth defeat

Santiago Bueno has become the latest player summoned to the Wolverhampton Wanderers treatment room after sustaining a hamstring injury during the 1-0 defeat to AFC Bournemouth on Wednesday night.

Gary O’Neil decided to substitute Bueno at half-time despite the player’s determination to carry on. At fault in the lead-up to Antoine Semenyo’s winner, the defender was dealt a 4/10 in Birmingham World’s player ratings but he’s otherwise been a reliable figure of late.

Wolves have been ravaged by injuries this season and the thread-bare starting squad hasn’t helped their case. The Old Gold will be hoping the issue isn’t serious, especially as fellow centre-half Craig Dawson is sidelined for the foreseeable future. 

“We lost Santi to a hamstring,” O’Neil confirmed in the post-match press conference. “Not a big hamstring, he wanted to give it a try but we don’t want to risk losing anyone for a sustained period. 

“That would leave only Max [Kilman] and Toti for us in those positions. As a team typically playing three centre-backs, only having two would be tricky,” O’Neil continued.

Wanderers went with a fluid formation against Bournemouth but it was typically a back four with Rayan Ait-Nouri advanced ahead of Toti down the left. It certainly didn’t work as the Cherries dominated the first half and kept Wolves mainly at bay in the second, but the four-back shape may have to continue.

O’Neil has often spoken about selection headaches in attack as the likes of Pedro Neto, Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan have spent lengthy spells on the sidelines. But a new dilemma in defence could now be on the cards if Bueno’s injury is serious.

Wolves will scan the Uruguayan’s hamstring in due course. O’Neil will likely provide an update later this week ahead of the hosting of Luton Town on Saturday afternoon.