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The latest on Wolves talisman Matheus Cunha’s suspension and when he will return.
Wolverhampton Wanderers will have to make do without star man Matheus Cunha for an extra match as his suspension has been upgraded to four games.
Cunha missed the Old Gold’s last two Premier League outings - the 1-1 draw with Everton and the 2-1 win at Southampton - following a red card in the FA Cup fifth round defeat to AFC Bournemouth. The Brazilian forward, given his marching orders for a headbutt on Cherries defender Milos Kerkez, was handed a three-match suspension for violent conduct.
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The Football Association (FA) applied to have this punishment increased as they believed Cunha’s unacceptable behaviour continued after he saw red, with a deep investigation carried out to prove just that. The final decision has now been publicly communicated with Cunha fined £50,000 and handed an extra game ban.
The statement from the FA reads: “An independent Regulatory Commission has imposed a one-match suspension and £50,000 fine on Matheus Cunha. The Wolverhampton Wanderers forward was charged with acting in an improper manner after he was sent off.
“The player subsequently admitted the charge. The Regulatory Commission imposed his sanctions following a hearing, and its written reasons for them will be published in due course.”
When is Matheus Cunha back from suspension?
Wolves were originally set to welcome back Cunha for the trip to Ipswich Town on Saturday, April 5 but his return will now have to wait until the hosting of Tottenham Hotspur eight days later – on Sunday, April 13. He was always going to miss the upcoming fixture with West Ham United.
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It’s a good job the Old Gold beat Southampton to move nine points clear of the Premier League relegation zone last weekend otherwise that clash with Ipswich could’ve been huge. It’s still a big game as Wolves can effectively seal safety with a victory, but there’s far less jeopardy now the cushion feels sufficient.
Who are good replacements for Cunha on FPL?
If you play Fantasy Premier League and you’ve still got Cunha in your team, what are you playing at? Have you been living under a rock? No, in all seriousness, we get it, it’s tempting to keep a cheap forward as good as Cunha and just bench him for a few weeks.
The news of an extra match suspension means it’s probably time to sell up if you do still have Cunha, however. His best upcoming fixture - against Ipswich - is now irrelevant and then Wolves face some tougher matches against Tottenham and Man Utd.
There’s a favourable game at home to Leicester City in gameweek 34 but then a trip to the Etihad Stadium awaits just seven days later. In all honesty, the Cunha ship has sailed and it’s worth looking at replacements.
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Who could be a good alternative, then? Well, looking at Cunha’s current value of £6.9m, there are many options. Chris Wood, who has scored 18 Premier League goals this season, is a superb pick at £7.3m but the New Zealander has blanked in his last three outings.
Brentford’s Yoanne Wissa at £6.5m would be a decent choice if his next three games weren’t against Newcastle United, Chelsea and Arsenal. With that in mind, AFC Bournemouth’s Evanilson (£5.7m) could be a real bargain as he faces Ipswich at home next, before a trip to strugglers West Ham.