Wolverhampton Wanderers

Phil Cartwright
BBC Sport journalist

Matheus Cunha's red card in the FA Cup at Bournemouth leaves Wolves without their leading goalscorer and most creative outlet for at least the next three Premier League matches.

Only seven players in the division have more goal involvements than the Brazil forward's tally of 17 this season (13 scored, four assists), while Cunha has either scored or set up almost 46% of Wolves' top-flight goals in 2024-25 (17 of 37).

His suspension comes during what could be considered as a more favourable run of fixtures for Wolves - and also at a time when their attacking depth has been weakened by injuries to team-mates.

At least Jorgen Strand Larsen has returned in the past couple of weeks, the Norway forward having filled the central striker's role for much of the campaign. He has scored seven league goals this term, although he has only found the net once in his 12 Premier League appearances since the start of December.

Hwang Hee-chan was an unused substitute in the cup loss at Bournemouth after three weeks out, while Goncalo Guedes has not featured since 16 February.

There are a couple of approaches that boss Vitor Pereira may choose to take in Cunha's absence.

Since his appointment in December, Pereira has regularly used a 3-4-3 formation, with Hwang, Guedes, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Pablo Sarabia among those filling the wider forward roles.

Another option would be to pair Strand Larsen with another centre forward such as Hwang and select a more attacking central midfielder to support the front two. That would leave Andre and Joao Gomes protecting the back three and wing-backs Rayan Ait-Nouri and Nelson Semedo to provide width.

Bellegarde's influence on the team has grown immeasurably since an impressive goalscoring display in the home win against Aston Villa on 1 February, while mid-season signing Marshall Munetsi has got into plenty of promising positions in his early appearances for the club.

Other than Cunha and Strand Larsen, no other Wolves player has scored more than three league goals this season. So whichever way Pereira chooses to proceed, the attacking output from those selected will need to improve if Wolves are to keep on picking up crucial results in their bid to avoid relegation.

Former Wolves winger Steve Froggatt has criticised Matheus Cunha's "stupidity" on the BBC West Midlands football phone-in.

"I played with one of the toughest strikers in Steve Bull - he could fight and wrestle with the best but he did it in a smart way," Froggatt said. "A lot of the time, he fought in a way where he wasn't going to get red carded. He was very clever.

"It's really hard because [Cunha] is such a talented player. Wolves have got four massive games coming up and we haven't won a game without him playing."

Listen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

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Let's acknowledge there is danger for most of us in trying to work out what possessed Matheus Cunha to lose his head at Bournemouth.

From the press box or the stand, we can airily say a player should never react like that, without ever having experienced how the spotlight of top-flight football dazzles and burns - especially when everyone knows you are the most important player for your team, as Cunha patently is.

I do not truly know what those pressures feel like, and - probably - nor do you.

Alas though, keeping control under fire is part of the test of playing at a high level, and in a season of otherwise remarkable achievement, it is a test Cunha has now failed twice.

Good players do tend to get fouled a lot. They are targeted by rough-tackling defenders, opposing crowds and wind-up merchants. There can be reasons why a player's temper burns through. But they cannot be excuses.

Whether the penalty this time is a three-match ban or more, it has obvious consequences for a team without a league win this season that has not contained a Cunha goal.

But perhaps it will also have longer-term consequences for Cunha himself, and if so it will be a lesson harshly learned.

The Brazilian signed a new contract at Molineux recently, running until 2029. However, I do not think I have yet heard from a Wolves fan who believes that he will remain beyond this summer, on the assumption that the reported release clause of £62m will be low enough to tempt clubs in the top bracket across Europe.

His talent will attract suitors, no doubt. But clubs that can afford to commit that sort of money on a single player will be able to shop around.

Wolves, in their current predicament, have little choice but to indulge Cunha's flaws. The top clubs have dressing rooms full of stars, so have no need to be so accommodating.

Only last week, Wolves released a day-in-the-life documentary about Cunha. It is uplifting, heart-warming stuff, demonstrating that he is kind, erudite and thoughtful - a family man, a team man. This only makes the possibility that he might not fulfil his talent all the more troubling.

It might be hard to do and harder to hear, but the people he trusts will do Cunha a good turn if they impress upon him now that this must be the last time, because he risks damage to his reputation and future prospects that may last much longer than a three-game suspension.

Listen to full commentary of Wolves v Everton at 20:00 GMT on Saturday on BBC Radio WM

Tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights

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We asked for your views on what nobody is talking about at Wolves.

Here are some of your comments:

Jon: Amid the latest instalment in the Matheus Cunha soap opera, I think one thing that has not had as much attention is the resurgence of Toti Gomes. He's been a rock under Vitor Pereira and we will need him in the crucial matches ahead.

John: We saw it previously when Ruben Neves got injured that sometimes when your talisman is out for a bit, the rest of the team step up and play better together, as they're less reliant on that little piece of magic to get them through games.

Jack: Nobody talks about how Goncalo Guedes just gets on with it. The club have tried to offload him twice, only for him to return and fill in when Wolves have been short of numbers. No matter when or where he plays, he puts in a solid effort every time, and has never made any noise about forcing a transfer or that he feels he should be playing more. Solid professional.

Guy: The discipline was shocking under Gary O'Neil. It really needs to improve, and I am still waiting.

Stefan: The lack of real investment by Fosun which ultimately destabilises the team due to talismanic players leaving for other clubs.

Jim: Wolves are coming up to their 150th anniversary in 2027 and the club are consulting with fans about the design of kit for that year (1950s' style please). We are a great old club and while there is so much talk about Spurs and Manchester United under-performing, some positive media should be given to Wolves. While Cunha has got bad press for being sent off, how about a bit more about what he does in the community?

After an ill-tempered FA Cup exit on Saturday, Wolves have to turn their full attention to staying in the Premier League.

Five points above the relegation zone with Everton visiting at the weekend, boss Vito Pereira will have to figure out an alternative to suspended talisman Matheus Cunha.

And there is no doubt plenty more going on that you know far more about than we do.

So tell us, what's one thing - good or bad - that no-one is talking about at Wolves but really should be?

Let us know here

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Wolves have lost just one of their past seven Premier League home games against Everton (W3 D3), and won this fixture 3-0 last season.

Meanwhile, Everton's 4-0 victory in the reverse fixture in December ended a six-game winless run against Wanderers - and only in 2020-21 have the Blues ever done the Premier League double over the Molineux club.

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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Wolves' Matheus Cunha gets little sympathy after his red card following a wild temper tantrum against Bournemouth. Hugely talented but utterly uncontrollable would seem the best description.

He now faces a lengthy ban, has let his team down by costing them a chance to win the tie and will miss a crucial period of the season. And for what?

A few weeks back, he ripped the glasses off a steward - not that big and brave.

This time he threw a one-two combination with his fists that wouldn't have hurt a five-year-old, before delivering a sneaky little kick that his opponent would scarcely have felt but every camera picked up.

He then produced a headbutt with all the force of a kiss from your auntie, before causing a scene in the tunnel that was at the intellectual level of a toddler.

All a bit pathetic, if you ask me.

With brilliant goals - like the one he scored before his hissy fit - and world-class skills, he should be worth fortunes, but he is now considered damaged goods.

His opponents, on the other hand, are laughing at his antics and the ease in which they wind him up.

It is time to grow up, Matheus.

Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

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Two trips to Bournemouth in a week, two drastically different results. Last week brought three vital points; this week, an exit from the FA Cup on penalties.

In this game, Matheus Cunha went from hero to zero. His goal was a moment of sheer brilliance - reminiscent of Ruben Neves at his finest - but his headbutt was a moment of sheer madness.

It underlined the fine line between triumph and disaster. True, Cunha found himself persistently fouled, which is often the price a team's star player pays. But what exactly pushed him to lose control in those final moments? We may never know, but the red card he earned is a decision with real consequences.

Now suspended for at least three critical fixtures, Cunha's absence could not come at a worse time. With the relegation battle heating up, every point matters. Combined with our growing injury list, this puts even more strain on an already stretched Wolves squad.

In a team that leans heavily on Cunha and his moments of brilliance, Vitor Pereira now has to make the team function effectively without our talisman.

So, who steps forward?

Attacking options are thin. Jorgen Strand Larsen and Hwang Hee-chan are just returning from injuries and are out of form. Goncalo Guedes and Rodrigo Gomes are currently unavailable and, to make matters worse, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde has picked up a knock. Could this be the time for Tommy Doyle?

Under Pereira, Wolves favour narrow number 10s supporting the striker, a role Doyle filled against Liverpool and the boss has seemingly been working to push his former Manchester City midfielder further upfield.

Pereira has admitted concerns about Doyle's lack of physicality in deeper roles but believes pushing him higher up the pitch could unlock his potential.

Bournemouth deserved their win - you can't argue otherwise - but the fallout from this match stings. The path ahead is riddled with questions, and the answers will define our survival hopes.

Find more from Dazzling Dave at Always Wolves, external

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Wolves' Matheus Cunha is facing an anxious wait to discover if he will be charged by the Football Association after his red card at Bournemouth - which could have a huge impact on the Premier League relegation battle.

The striker was sent off after clashing with Cherries defender Milos Kerkez and had to be dragged down the tunnel as Wolves lost their FA Cup fifth-round tie on penalties on Saturday.

Cunha lashed out at Kerkez three times, fighting and kicking out at the Hungarian full-back before aiming a headbutt when Kerkez got back to his feet.

Referee Sam Barrott eventually issued a red card but a furious Cunha - who scored the winner in Wolves' 1-0 league victory at Vitality Stadium last week - ultimately had to be escorted and pushed down the tunnel.

The FA could now issue a further charge following Cunha's refusal to leave the field.

It has until the end of Wednesday, with the club having a further three business days to respond.

Another three business days is given for the FA to reply, with a hearing held no later than 10 business days after their final response.

Cunha is already suspended for Wolves' games against Everton, Southampton and West Ham. A one-game extension to the ban would see him miss the crucial trip to relegation rivals Ipswich on 5 April.

Wolves are 17th, five points above the third-bottom Tractor Boys.

Cunha was suspended for two games in January after clashing with a member of Ipswich's security and grabbing his glasses from his face following the visitors' 2-1 win at Molineux in December.

That is not expected to be a mitigating factor in any further ban if the Brazil international is charged.

We asked for your views on the FA Cup fifth round match between Bournemouth and Wolves.

Here are some of your comments:

Bournemouth fans

Colin: A very one-sided affair. Unbelievable attacking from the Cherries, over 30 shots! Terrific defending from Wolves. A fair result, finally!

Steve: Superb. We fully deserved that result after last week's loss in the league.

Mike: Great persistence and we held our nerves in the shootout after Dean Huijsen missed his penalty. Luckily Wolves shot themselves in the foot when Matheus Cunha became reckless and cost them. Bournemouth must learn to finish teams off after taking the lead and become more clinical in the last third.

Lance: Bournemouth proved, like every week, that they are fighters and never give up. I hope the squad will stick together in seasons to come. Never change a winning team, as they say.

Wolves fans

Peter: Cunha cost us the game and now possibly the league. That is twice his temper has got the best of him. If he can't control it, he may as well go. Toti Gomes was outstanding in defence.

BG: We need league points more than we need a cup run. Losing this game was likely, but losing Cunha will be more costly.

Steve: Wolves defended well. Cunha was irresponsible and petulant - he isn't playing in a Sunday morning pub match! Overall, Bournemouth deserved to win but they also need to stop hacking like a Sunday morning team. They were making way too many dangerous tackles, which do not belong in the Premier league.

Colin: Maybe I'm alone on this one but when Cunha scores, you will only see a few players in shot and the rest are not really bothered. It definitely looks like they don't get on with him. Why would you not show some excitement at getting an equaliser? Poor Matt Doherty, of all the players to miss the winning penalty!

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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An FA Cup fifth-round defeat by Bournemouth was a disappointing blow for Wolves, but the impact of losing star forward Matheus Cunha for at least three Premier League matches may hurt even more.

Cunha's display went from magical to madness with a dismissal that will leave his side - fourth bottom in the Premier League - without their best player for crucial games in their relegation fight.

The red-mist moment included him clashing multiple times with Cherries defender Milos Kerkez, fighting and kicking out at the Hungarian full-back while he was on the ground, and aiming a headbutt when Kerkez eventually got back to his feet.

After being pulled away by team-mates, referee Sam Barrott eventually gave him a red card but a furious Cunha refused to leave the field, needing to be escorted and pushed down the tunnel.

He will be suspended for three games following the red card for violent conduct, but additional games cannot be ruled out due to the severity of the incident and having already served a two-match ban for clashing with Ipswich Town security in December.

Matthew Howarth
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Matheus Cunha's second-half goal at Vitality Stadium will go down as one of the finest FA Cup strikes this season, but the Brazilian's moment of brilliance was undone by a moment of sheer stupidity near the end of extra time.

The 25-year-old needlessly squared up to Milos Kerkez after tangling with the full-back, kicking out and aiming a headbutt at the Hungarian defender to leave referee Sam Barrott with little option but to brandish a straight red card.

It was a sad end to Cunha's afternoon after he had sent a venomous, swerving strike past Kepa Arrizabalaga to cancel out Evanilson's first-half opener for Bournemouth.

Wolves could have done with the Brazilian's ability from the spot in the penalty shootout, after Boubacar Traore and Matt Doherty missed from 12 yards to hand Bournemouth victory.

Cunha, who was charged with misconduct by the Football Association following Wolves' 2-1 defeat by Ipswich in December, is now set to miss three matches through suspension as his team look to keep their heads above water in the Premier League.

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Wolves boss Vitor Pereira has been speaking to BBC Match of the Day about the defeat: "I'm proud of my players because we played with a lot of injury limitations. It means it was a very difficult game. Three games in a row, I must feel proud."

On Matheus Cunha's red card: "When the situation happened, I was looking for the ball. I didn't see the situation but football is emotional and the level was very high today, not only inside the pitch but outside the pitch. With a lot of pressure, these are things that can happen.

"You know he is frustrated. He is better [than that], in my opinion. I never speak to the team when we are nervous or frustrated. It is better to wait one day and think about everything. After that, we can have a talk.

"Of course he is an important player, but in the next game we need to start with 11 and play with 11. We had the capacity to equalise the game in the second half and then, after that, it was the injury limitations."

On the seven minute VAR check: "I was very calm. I think it was some problem with the machine. I don't know what happened but, in the end, I understand."

On their Premier League relegation fight: "It will be a strong fight until the end, but we will be ready to do it."

What did you make of Wolves' display? Have your say here

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Wolves have lost seven of their last eight penalty shootouts in all competitions.

Matheus Cunha has scored six goals from outside the box in all competitions this season, at least two more than any other Premier League player.

The Brazilian centre-forward has scored in each of his last four away games for Wolves in all competitions, while overall this is now the second consecutive campaign in which he has netted 10 goals on the road.

Were you at Vitality Stadium or following the game from elsewhere?

Have your say on Bournemouth’s performance

Wolves fans, what did you make of the display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies