Wolverhampton Wanderers' return from the international break promises to be exhilarating as Gary O'Neil's men make the short trip to local rivals Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.
Sufferers of a brutal eleventh-hour FA Cup exit against Coventry City two weeks ago, Wolves will be eager to put the heartache behind them and bounce back with a positive showing. Just three points off West Ham United in the final European place and with the prospect of an additional spot due to UEFA coefficiency, Wanderers can dare to dream.
Three wins in the last five have soared the Old Gold two points deep into the top half, an extraordinary achievement considering the financial tightrope walked and the injury crisis endured. A tough run-in awaits, though, with Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool all still to come, so a winning start at Villa Park would do the world of good.
O'Neil unveiled after the Coventry defeat that Matheus Cunha, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Craig Dawson would all be in contention to face Villa if all goes to plan. Since, it's become apparent that Dawson and Bellegarde aren't quite on track – but Cunha very much is. With that in mind, here's how we predict Wolves will line up this weekend.
1. GK - Jose Sa
Sa will be disappointed to have conceded seven goals in his last three appearances but that’ll make him more motivated than ever to put things right.
2. RWB - Nelson Semedo
Semedo has been excellent this campaign, stepping up after a difficult end to last season. His positioning has improved and he’s a considerable threat going forward.
3. CB - Max Kilman
The skipper will have had the job of picking up his teammates after the crushing FA Cup exit. Two weeks on, Kilman and the squad will be raring to go for the local derby.
4. CB - Santiago Bueno
Bueno is likely to get the nod this weekend with Dawson yet to return to full training as of Thursday. The Spaniard has done a decent job when called upon.