Express & Star

Nuno: Wolves a match for anyone

Nuno Espirito Santo believes Wolves have proved they’re a match for anyone despite their exit from the FA Cup this week.

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Wolves welcome Nottingham Forest to Molineux tomorrow looking to consolidate their 10-point lead at the top of the Championship.

They will be watched by another sell-out home crowd against Nottingham Forest tomorrow with the final tickets having been snapped up earlier this week. It’s set to be Molineux’s fourth full house of the campaign after games against Middlesbrough, Villa and Ipswich.

Wolves bowed out of the FA Cup on Wednesday, losing 2-1 to Swansea City. But Nuno believes his team’s performances in two games against the Swansea showed yet again that they can compete with top class opposition.

His side had beaten Southampton and taken Manchester City all the way to penalties in the Carabao Cup earlier this season.

The Wolves head coach said: “I’m impressed. We faced Swansea in a double match, we showed in the first match with 10 men and again on Wednesday we are ready to compete against a team with a Premier League squad.

"I’m sad and disappointed (to be out the Cup) and sad for our fans who went a long way and didn’t go away with a good result.”

Youngsters such as Morgan Gibbs-White and Bright Enobakhare featured on Wednesday and Nuno believes the game time they and other were given in the cup competitions this season will stand them in good stead for the future.

“It’s all about developing players and developing a squad ready for every pitch and every stadium,” he added.

“It’s a young squad who works hard every day.

“First was the Carabao Cup and you saw what we did, second was the FA Cup, it’s about the squad, growing and developing players, this is how they grow.”

Romain Saiss and Ruben Neves are both now walking a disciplinary tightrope going into tomorrow’s game.

Saiss picked up his ninth booking of the campaign during Wednesday’s defeat, while Neves is on the same number. A booking for either would lead to a two-match suspension. The cut-off point when bookings are wiped out isn’t until March.