Wolverhampton Wanderers predicted lineup vs Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
Wolverhampton Wanderers travel to Tottenham Hotspur's imaginatively named home ground for a Premier League match on Sunday afternoon.
Bruno Lage's side have recorded consecutive defeats for the first time since facing Liverpool and Manchester City on back to back December weekends. However, Norwich City and Arsenal represent a strikingly different calibre of opponent to the division's leading duo, clouding their trip to the capital.
Nevertheless, here's the XI Lage may line up with to arrest this mini-slump.
Wolverhampton Wanderers predicted lineup vs Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
1. Goalkeeper & defenders
“It was an incredible moment for me to see the mosaic. To play 300 times for the football club which I’ve come to love is really special."
— Wolves (@Wolves) February 7, 2022
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Jose Sa (GK) - Arguably one of the Premier League's signings of the summer, Sa can complement his superb shot stopping with as many assists as the club's silky midfielders Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho (one).
Max Kilman (CB) - One of only seven outfield players in the entire division to have started every league match thus far.
Conor Coady (CB) - The captain and anchor of a backline that only Manchester City's rearguard can better for league goals conceded.
Romain Saiss (CB) - While Wolves did record two victories in his AFCON-induced absence, Lage's side conceded as many goals in those wins as they had in their previous eight outings with Saiss (two).
2. Midfielders & wing-backs
Nelson Semedo (RWB) - The former Benfica and Barcelona defender provided his first Premier League assist for more than a year in Wolves' last away match.
Ruben Neves (CM) - The potential absence of Joao Moutinho places even more importance on the ball progression provided by the team's most prolific final third passer.
Leander Dendoncker (CM) - The Belgium international is set to make a fourth consecutive league start for the first time since May 2021.
Rayan Ait Nouri (LWB) - Locked in a battle with Fernando Marcal (and fitness) for a starting berth, Ait Nouri may soon have a fit-again Jonny Castro Otto as another viable competitor for the left wingback slot.
3. Forwards
Francisco Trincao (RW) - The division's unluckiest (or most wasteful) player has racked up an expected goals (xG) tally of 2.6 without finding the net (per FBref).
Raul Jimenez (ST) - In an unsurprising adjustment period following his miraculous recovery, Jimenez is recording his worst goalscoring form (0.22 per 90) since his sole season as a serial substitute for Atletico Madrid in 2014/15.
Daniel Podence (LW) - One of only three players in the Wolves squad to have created more than one goal, Podence hasn't found the net in the league himself since December 2020.