Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Gary O'Neil already has a crushing suspension blow to work around for Saturday's 2024-25 Premier League opener against Arsenal at the Emirates.
During the final weekend of the 2023-24 campaign, Nelson Semedo was given a straight red card in the first half of Wolves' loss to Liverpool and serves the first of a three-game ban in North London.
Semedo will be one of a few players to watch on from the sidelines, a list that also includes ACL victims Sasa Kalajdzic and Enso Gonzalez, as well as Leon Chiwone (ankle).
However, O'Neil expects all of Daniel Podence (calf), Mario Lemina (thigh), Jorgen Strand Larsen (groin) and Matheus Cunha (thigh) to be available for the trip to the capital, where the latter could link arms with Hwang Hee-chan in the final third.
New boy Strand Larsen is an option up front and on the left as Wolves begin life after Pedro Neto, whose spot could also be filled by the returning Goncalo Guedes or Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, but a fit Podence should be given the nod.
Assuming he is fit enough, Lemina will captain the side from the engine room in his midfield partnership with Joao Gomes, while Pablo Sarabia should be nailed on to start on the right-hand side.
With Max Kilman long gone, Yerson Mosquera and Toti could protect number one Jose Sa, whose deputy - Daniel Bentley - has been heavily linked with a summer switch to Arsenal.
In Semedo's place, one-time Tottenham Hotspur man Matt Doherty should keep new signing Pedro Lima at bay, while Rayan Ait-Nouri takes on the unenviable task of keeping Bukayo Saka in check.
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Sa; Doherty, Mosquera, Toti, Ait-Nouri; Sarabia, Lemina, Gomes, Podence; Cunha, Hwang
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