Wolverhampton Wanderers

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

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Over the course of Friday, we have been putting your questions to BBC Radio WM's Mike Taylor. In this part, we look at how Wolves' summer transfer window could play out.

Matt asked: With Nelson Semedo out of contract in the summer, will Pedro Lima be given the chance to shine next season? He looks like he could be a top player. Also, where do Wolves need to strengthen in order to improve next season?

Mike: First, they will miss Semedo if he leaves. His form has generally trended upwards over his time with Wolves and he is clearly a respected personality in the squad.

Pedro Lima will still be only 19 when next season begins and I agree he has shown some potential on the few occasions we have seen him, but going into next season with him as first choice in that position would be a bold call. It may be that with Matt Doherty around there is enough cover there to give Lima a shot at it, although Vitor Pereira clearly identified Doherty as suited to the style he wants on either side of his back three.

The future of Matheus Cunha holds the key to Wolves' squad for next season. Like almost every other club, finding another reliable goalscoring forward would surely be high on their list, and I imagine they will be in the market for a goalkeeper too.

Jeremy asked: Do you think Pereira will be backed to strengthen the squad in the summer?

Mike: He will need to be. He has earned a fair shot at it too - after correctly identifying the problems with the side, he identified and helped to fix them with well-judged mid-season signings.

With no indication to date that Fosun will move away from its general policy of being financially self-sustaining, Wolves will probably need to sell to buy. They will need to make smart deals - and do so early if they can, difficult though that is.

Pereira should be in quite a strong negotiating position with the club, as the man who averted danger - but Julen Lopetegui's frustration in similar circumstances two years ago became obvious very quickly, and Wolves were slow to respond.

Let's imagine Wolves sell Cunha and one other, for example Rayan Ait-Nouri or Joao Gomes, that might give them the funds to invest in four or five mid-market signings. In the last window they shopped well in that bracket for Marshall Munetsi and Emmanuel Agbadou, so it can be done.

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Earlier, we asked which player has appeared in the most Premier League wins for Wolves.

The answer is Joao Moutinho, who was involved in 66 victories.

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Over the course of Friday, we have been putting your questions to BBC Radio WM's Mike Taylor. In this part, we look at the future of Wolves' talisman Matheus Cunha.

David asked: Wolves have set a release clause in Matheus Cunha's contract. Does that make it inevitable that this sum will be the most they will get for him?

Mike: Liam Keen of the Express and Star did some helpful reporting on this last month, concluding that the terms of the release clause make it less likely that the reported £62.5m will be exceeded. A lot of Wolves fans I have heard from think that would represent selling him at a discounted rate, and you could see him being an attractive option in the market at that reserve price.

But whatever the technical details of the contract, you can only start an auction if you have enough bidders. Will the incidents against Ipswich and Bournemouth - both attracting FA charges - dampen interest from the sort of clubs Cunha might want to play for? £62.5m would be a hefty chunk out of the budget of all but the biggest clubs. Most would agree Cunha has the talent to play at that level, if he wants to, but, they may now question if he has the temperament.

Idris asked: If Cunha does leave next season, how do you feel Wolves will cope without him?

Mike: That very much depends on how, and if, they fill the gap.

If he goes – and I do not think I have heard from a Wolves fan yet who expects him to stay, although we should note the player himself has said nothing in public about wanting a move – fans will demand the money is spent on replacements.

We saw last summer that Wolves did not feel compelled to find a direct substitute for key players who left. If you can find a like-for-like replacement for Cunha's ability, on a budget, great; but you could burn a lot of money trying to find a single player with the same X-factor.

There is another way. Yes, it was only against a hapless Southampton team, but a win without him – the first in the Premier League not to include a Cunha goal for nearly a year – should raise some confidence that Wolves can find a different route.

Much of Cunha's best work has been virtuoso stuff, a magic goal out of nowhere. Recycling the Cunha cash into three or four players at more modest cost, tailored to the manager's style, could add the depth the squad needs. Consider Wolves' work in January - they bought Emmanuel Agbadou and Marshall Munetsi for, crudely, about half a Cunha.

A post-Cunha Wolves squad might be less flashy, but more dependable.

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

Image source, Getty Images

All through Friday, we have lined up our Wolves expert, Mike Taylor from BBC Radio WM to tackle your questions.

In this first part, he takes a look at how the final weeks of the season are shaping up for Vitor Pereira's side.

Stephen asked: Do you think the Premier League relegation battle is effectively already over?

Mike answered: At the risk of worrying any superstitious Wolves supporters, it really ought to be, but perhaps it would be more prudent to wait for Wolves to avoid defeat in their next two games before we call it.

Given the lack of momentum and daunting fixture lists of the teams below them – although I suppose any fixture must look daunting when you only have 17 points in March – it is entirely possible Wolves have enough points already.

There have been times this season when it felt as if Wolves were taking the cliche about just needing to find three worse teams a bit too literally, but in recent weeks they have been the only one of the bottom four showing any signs of forward progress.

Vitor Pereira will, I'm sure, be stressing to the players that their job is not done yet. Last week, he was talking about how nice it would be to look up the table for a change. They play West Ham next, so it might be an idea to tell the players the target is not to stay above Ipswich and Leicester, but to catch the Hammers.

Steve asked: How are Wolves' long-term injured players progressing?

Mike answered: There have been a few scraps of encouraging news, but at this stage no indication that any of them will be ready to return before the end of this season.

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

Which player has appeared in the most Premier League wins for Wolves?

Come back to this page on Friday afternoon for the answer

It's an international break. It's quiet. There's not much to talk about.

And yet, when Wolves return they will face West Ham but before that to keep you occupied there is no doubt you have plenty on your mind.

So we are lining up our BBC Radio WM reporter Mike Taylor to tackle your questions.

It could be recent good form, tactics, recruitment, summer plans, loanees, boardroom or something else...

Fire them over and he will answer a selection later in the week.

Submit your questions here

Arsenal's prospective new sporting director Andrea Berta is keen on Wolves' 25-year-old Brazil striker Matheus Cunha, who has a release clause of £62.5m. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

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Wolves may not have dazzled in their 2-1 victory over Southampton, but it was a performance that showcased grit and determination.

Despite staying in second gear for much of the match, the most crucial takeaway was the three points earned — a step that significantly bolsters our chances of Premier League survival.

The win created a nine-point cushion above the relegation zone, a buffer that feels insurmountable. With Ipswich managing just three wins and Leicester only four all season, coupled with Wolves' superior goal difference, the likelihood of relegation now looks extremely slim.

It would take an unprecedented collapse to drag Wolves back into the dogfight.

This season's survival owes much to the unusually low bar set at the bottom of the table. In many other years, Wolves' tally might have left them staring down the barrel of relegation. However, the turnaround under Vitor Pereira has been key.

Taking over a team lacking confidence, Pereira has steadied the ship, reignited belief and lifted the club out of mediocrity. His impact is evident, not just in results but in the fans' renewed optimism.

Pereira's pragmatic and passionate approach, paired with his down-to-earth personality, have endeared him to supporters. His talk of "points, pies, and pints" in press conferences has resonated.

Pereira has secured 17 points in 13 Premier League games, providing Wolves with a strong leader capable of shaping the squad into a more cohesive and efficient unit.

With Wolves virtually safe, the focus must shift to finishing the season strongly. Momentum in the final fixtures will ensure we avoid a sluggish, 'on-the-beach' ending and instead drive us into the summer and beyond.

Wolves currently rank ninth in the Premier League form table over the past six matches, level on points with Nottingham Forest.

The focus should remain on sustaining the push rather than prematurely thinking the job is done.

Find more from Dazzling Dave at Always Wolves, external

Wolves are keeping a close eye on Diogo Jota's situation at Liverpool and are weighing up a move to bring the 28-year-old forward back to Molineux this summer. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Southampton and Wolves.

Here are some of your comments:

Southampton news

Martin: A broken manager inherited a broken club with broken-spirited players, then starts a winnable game with three full-backs and no strikers, then takes off the most creative player on the pitch at half time. How was it going to end any differently?

Ryan: Far too easy to play through. Wolves didn't really have to turn up to walk away with the three points and that's what hurts the most. Really hard to see where the next points will come from.

Mike: Started well but conceded two soft goals. No presence in the box and sloppy defending again. 'Not fit to wear the shirt' was the home fans' chant and how many of this lot will still be at St Mary's in the Championship?

Glenn: Absolutely horrible. This was our last chance to get over 11 points. We need to clear the squad and spend two seasons in the Championship rebuilding confidence, team spirit and relationship between the club and supporters.

Wolves fans

George: Wolves played a good game up to their second goal. They then became wasteful in attack and somewhat jittery in defence. From the moment the Saints scored their goal, victory was precarious.

Nathan: Southampton played better but couldn't win. Wolves played poorly and did win! An ugly win but it's all about points and staying up so a good day. One step closer to Premier League survival!

Nick: Great result from the lads but we made it hard for ourselves in the end. That nine point gap is massive. Cunha back in soon so surely we will stay up now.

Ken: Salvaged the season with this win, and did it without Cunha. Safe now but how about some more ambition for the future with some money to spend without selling our best players for a change.

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's five Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Ipswich 2-4 Nottingham Forest

• Bournemouth 1-2 Brentford

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Wolves manager Vitor Pereira, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "In this moment of the season, we want to play good football. We had moments in the game where we played good football and we had [two chances] to score the third goal. If we had, the last 10 minutes would have been different.

"In 30 seconds, they scored their first goal. For a team that wants the three points, it was time to suffer together, be compact, defend and get the three points."

On Jorgen Strand Larsen: "In the last game he didn't perform at his level because he got his injury [a broken hand] two days before the match.

"He wanted to help the team but did not feel comfortable. Today, after one week, he is more comfortable with the injury. In my opinion, he did a fantastic job ."

On survival: "In this league, we cannot feel safe. The first mistake is to lose points. Now we have the [international] break and it's important to rest a bit, but the next match is very important for us. We must control our games because we cannot control the opponents' games.

"They are out of our control. We need to do our work to do well for our supporters, who were fantastic again. We cannot sleep."

Matthew Howarth
BBC Sport journalist

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In the absence of the suspended Matheus Cunha, Jorgen Strand Larsen stepped up to the plate for Wolves against beleaguered Southampton on Saturday.

The Norwegian striker was the visitors' hero on the south coast, his well-taken double lifting Wolves nine points clear of the Premier League's bottom three with just nine games left to play.

Strand Larsen struggled against Everton last weekend after suffering a broken hand in the days leading up to the game, but the striker showed no sign of being in any discomfort as he steered a first-half header past Aaron Ramsdale before finding the bottom corner with a low shot in the second half.

They were Strand Larsen's first goals since the 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on 29 December - and may well prove to be his most important of the season as Vitor Pereira's team survived a late Saints fightback to claim a big three points.

The Portuguese coach may claim otherwise, but it is hard to envisage either Ipswich or Leicester overhauling his side between now and May.

Image source, Getty Images

Wolves have won nine Premier League games against Southampton, their most victories against a single opponent in the competition.

The Old Gold have now won seven consecutive matches against Saints.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Southampton's performance

What did you make of Wolves' display?

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

Five matches make up Saturday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Everton v West Ham

• Southampton v Wolves

• Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest - full commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Man City v Brighton

• Bournemouth v Brentford (17:30) - full commentary starts on BBC Radio 5 Live Extra

All kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Southampton surprised me last week against Liverpool - they lost but they played well and they showed they have got a goal in them, and a bit of fight.

So, this is not a gimme for Wolves - but even with Matheus Cunha suspended, they will see this game as an opportunity to put more space between them and the bottom three.

Vitor Pereira's side are already six points clear of Ipswich and Leicester and, if they can win at St Mary's and those two teams both lose this weekend, you would start to think that the bottom three is done and dusted.

Sutton's prediction: 0-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here