Rob Edwards will begin his tenure as Wolves manager on Saturday with a crucial Premier League match against Crystal Palace at Molineux.
For his first game in charge, Edwards will be without goalkeeper Dan Bentley, defender Matt Doherty, and winger Rodrigo Gomes. Bentley is sidelined for a couple of weeks with an ankle problem, while Gomes is out until the new year due to a groin issue. Doherty, however, is nearing a return from a knee injury sustained in late October and was able to train on the grass on Friday. On a positive note, all of Wolves’ international players have returned without any fitness concerns and are available for selection.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glaser has received a boost, with Marc Guehi, Eddie Nketiah, and Jean-Philippe Mateta all expected to be fit for the trip. Guehi returned early from England duty but has since completed three training sessions. Nketiah has recovered from a thigh issue that saw him miss three matches, and Mateta has overcome a minor knee problem picked up on international duty with France. However, the visitors are expected to be without Cheick Doucoure and Chadi Riad.
The two sides enter the match in contrasting form. Wolves, now under new management, will be aiming to end a difficult run, having lost their last five fixtures between the international breaks. Their most recent outing was a defeat at Chelsea under interim charge, while their last home game was a 3-2 loss to Burnley.
In contrast, Crystal Palace are on a four-match unbeaten run, which they extended with a goalless draw against Brighton & Hove Albion before the break. Despite losing their last two Premier League away games at Everton and Arsenal, a positive start to the season sees them sitting 10th with 17 points from 11 matches. Jean-Philippe Mateta has been a key figure for Palace, leading their scoring with eight goals, while Jefferson Lerma has provided a team-high three assists.
The last time these teams met at Molineux in October 2020, a 2-0 victory for Wolves sent them temporarily joint-top of the Premier League table. The match featured a memorable debut for Rayan Aït-Nouri, who opened the scoring, with a second goal from Daniel Podence securing the win.
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