Wolves ready for QPR revenge mission

QPR, like Sheffield United, beat Nuno Espirito Santo’s team during the first half of the season.

Ian Holloway’s team earned a 2-1 victory at Loftus Road last October thanks to a late winner from substitute Matt Smith.

The result was a pivotal one in Wolves’ season. Nuno dropped Roderick Miranda and captain Danny Batth for the following game away at Norwich – Wolves won 2-0 at Carrow Road and would only concede two goals in their next nine matches.

That formed part of a 14-game unbeaten run which saw them race clear at the top of the Championship, a position they still hold with an 11-point lead.

So now, after despatching the Blades with a very comfortable 3-0 win last weekend, Nuno will hope to engineer a similar result in front of what will be the seventh sell-out Molineux crowd of the campaign.

While their lead is a substantial one and there are only 16 games remaining, the focus of Nuno and his squad remains undimmed.

The head coach’s consistent mantra is to look only at the next game – and it’s one he will continue until Wolves reach the finishing line.

“It’s the same situation, nobody is talking about results,” he said. “What we care about is who’s up against us and QPR is now the only focus of the team.

“Am I the only one speaking like this? The boys speak like this. Look at them after the game they’re working hard.

“There’s a long way to go and everyone knows that.

“It’s the philosophy, from day one until now, nothing changes until the end.

“We prepare and work the same way over and over again.

“We’ve done things right. We’ve been working really well for a number of weeks now.

“The spirit of the side is strong, even from those who did not play in this game.

“Everybody works as hard as each other.

“The only question is ‘how’, how can we make it better. I have a lot of options to give us solutions.

“It’s a team that wants to get better and go ahead. The ‘how’ is the question – how we play to make it better.”

Nuno is likely to keep the same XI that beat Sheffield United.

Romain Saiss will be assessed late after missing the last two games with a hamstring problem.

Alfred N’Diaye has deputised for Saiss – and excelled – meaning even if the Moroccan is fit he may not come back into the XI.

Elsewhere, Benik Afobe will be desperate to start after his recent return on a loan move from Bournemouth, but he and Leo Bonatini are likely to remain on the bench following a stellar display from Wolves’ front three of Diogo Jota, Ivan Cavaleiro and Helder Costa last weekend.

Midfielders Saiss and Ruben Neves continue to walk a disciplinary tightrope. The pair are on nine bookings and if they pick up another they will earn a two-match suspension.

Predicted Lineup: Wolves (3-4-3): Ruddy, Bennett, Coady (c), Boly; Doherty, Neves, N'Diaye, Douglas; Costa, Jota,, Cavaleiro.