Nuno reveals Wolves could be without defender against Brighton, 20 y/o likely to start
Wolverhampton Wanderers could be without Jonny Otto against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, Nuno Espirito Santo has revealed.
The 26-year-old picked up an ankle injury in Wolves’ 3-0 win over Norwich City and left Molineux in a protective boot. He missed Sunday’s 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur and is expected to be absent over the weekend too.
Nuno said in his pre-match press conference: “We have some issues regarding the game of tomorrow. Jonny, something that we still have to attend. He’s not yet with the team, he’s getting better, but will take some time.”
After the Brighton clash, Wolves will have four more games to come this month – Olympiacos (March 12), West Ham United (March 15), Olympiacos (March 19) and Bournemouth (March 22). It remains to be seen which game Jonny could return for, however.
The Spanish international has made 38 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring and creating three goals. He’ll be missed by Wolves, but Nuno has Ruben Vinagre who is able to replace him at left-back.
The 20-year-old has made 26 appearances across the board, gaining valuable first-team experience. He’s been a regular in the Europa League, EFL Cup and FA Cup but has only racked up 438 minutes of Premier League football – Vinagre has featured twice in the top-flight since mid-January.
He should start at left-back on Saturday and will hope to impress Nuno to stand a chance of getting more opportunities in the league when Jonny returns. Vinagre has struggled for consistency at times, but he may get a run of games before the 26-year-old returns.