Pre-season is finally over and Wolves can now focus on the Premier League which kicks off next weekend.
Vitor Pereira is about to embark on his first full campaign at Molineux, starting with a difficult challenge against Man City.
Wolves lost both fixtures against Pep Guardiola’s side last season, both by a one-goal margin. This time out, Pereira will be hoping for a strong home performance and three points to start the season on a good note and lift the mood around Molineux.
But one decision he has to make before Saturday is who to play at right wing-back, a position that Wolves have been struggling to sort out all summer, following Nelson Semedo’s move to Fenerbahce.
Sevilla’s Juanlu Sanchez is the latest link to fall apart, and before that it was Marc Pubill, who ended up at Atletico Madrid.
Vitor Pereira should put his trust in Rodrigo Gomes at wing-back vs Man City
Pereira clearly wants to bring someone in, but six days out from opening day, it looks like he’s going to have to find a solution in the squad for the time being.
Ki-Jana Hoever was a dark horse to take the starting spot after a solid few games in pre-season, but the last couple have raised alarm bells for fans over Hoever’s readiness.
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Rodrigo Gomes is the standout option to start against City. After a great U21 Euros campaign for Portugal, Gomes has returned to Wolves with a hunger to succeed and up his level.
Gomes is an attacking threat who can also cover the right flank defensively with his pace and work rate. He was deployed last season in multiple roles, but now a year older, he may be ready to stake his claim for his favoured position.
Rayan Ait-Nouri will make his Wolves return on Saturday
One of the main responsibilities of the right wing-back against Man City will be to contain former Wolves star Rayan Ait-Nouri. The Algerian should get the nod to start on his return to Molineux, and as Pereira well knows, he will need to be given extra defensive attention.
Gomes would relish the challenge to show the manager he can compete with the best, and Ait-Nouri fits that description.
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Rodrigo Gomes is challenged by Rayan Ait-Nouri of Wolverhampton Wanderers during a Wolverhampton Wanderers Training Session
Photo by Jack Thomas – WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images
But it’s not one-way traffic. Gomes put up double-digit goal involvements in the Primeira Liga from wing-back, so we know he can burst forward too.
And with the left side of defence being City’s biggest leak of goals last season — a driving factor behind the Ait-Nouri signing — it could be a chance for the 22-year-old to do some damage.