Gary O'Neil issues 'concerning' Pedro Neto injury update - but there's good news for Matheus Cunha

Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Gary O'Neil has confirmed star winger Pedro Neto could be sidelined for the rest of the season following scans on a hamstring problem.

Wolves can't seem to catch a break with injuries as just one natural senior attacker - Pablo Sarabia - remains fit. Youngster Nathan Fraser led the line for the first hour of the 3-2 FA Cup defeat to Coventry City, while Mario Lemina and Rayan Ait-Nouri were utilised as auxiliary inside forwards.

Neto is no stranger to injuries as he had a similar issue earlier in the campaign. The 24-year-old missed nine league matches on that occasion and it's expected to be a similar recovery this time around, meaning O'Neil will have to scrape the barrel for many more weeks to come.

“Pedro, it’s potentially the end of the season for him – very similar to the injury he suffered on the other side. There’s a chance he gets back for the last couple if it goes really well," O'Neil confirmed with a grimace during Saturday's post-match press conference.

With bad news comes some good, though, as Matheus Cunha, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Craig Dawson are all on track to be in contention for the Aston Villa clash on March 30. Hwang Hee-chan, meanwhile, is around five weeks away from a return.

"Bellegarde's knee isn't as bad as we first feared. He might be around for Villa, if not it shouldn't be long after," O'Neil said. "Cunha's doing really well, training with the team hopefully over the next two weeks and getting himself in contention for Aston Villa providing everything goes well as he’s still got a few things to tick off.

“Changy was six-to-eight weeks when be first did it, so maybe another five to go. Dawson’s groin is not a serious one providing the rehab goes well, so we’re hopeful to have him back for the Villa game. It’s not a massive list of players but when you put that with a group that’s already so small and so many in one area, it’s huge," O'Neil continued.

Wolves, devastated not only by injuries but also a dramatic late FA Cup exit, will be relieved to see the international break. A chance for players to recuperate before the final 10 matches of the season, the two weeks off should give the Old Gold an almighty boost.