The revelation that Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Matheus Cunha has suffered a “severe” hamstring injury, which would prevent him from playing for an extended length of time, has inflicted a significant blow to the club.
It is possible that the Brazilian, who has become an important figure under the direction of Gary O’Neil, may be sidelined for the remainder of the season on account of the injury that he sustained during Saturday’s Premier League match against Brentford.
Cunha, who had been acquired from Atletico Madrid during the transfer window in January, had started to settle in at Molineux. He went on to score a hat-trick in the astonishing 4-2 triumph over Chelsea that took place the previous week. The Wolves’ offense had been given a fresh lease on life thanks to his quickness, directness, and ability to connect with teammates, which offered the possibility of a successful conclusion to the season.
On the other hand, those hopes have been destroyed as a result of the injury itself being confirmed. In an interview with the official website of the club, O’Neil revealed that the damage to his hamstring was among the more serious ones. “There is no timetable related to it. I’ve had a number of conversations with Matheus, and he simply wants to keep moving forward in his efforts to return as soon as he can.
Considering that there is no particular date provided, it is possible that the injury is on the more serious side, which might result in Cunha being out until the conclusion of the season. Wolves, who are presently competing for a berth in the Europa Conference League and have critical meetings against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, and Arsenal in the coming weeks, would suffer a catastrophic blow if this were to occur.
The departure of Cunha generated a big vacuum in the Wolves’ offensive capabilities. During the current season, Raúl Jiménez has failed to maintain his form, while Hwang Hee-chan and Daniel Podence have not been able to regularly produce the goals that are required. It is possible that O’Neil will decide to use Fabio Silva, a young player, as a centre striker, or perhaps consider employing a false nine formation.
In addition, Cunha’s aspirations to play internationally are hampered as a result of the injury. The 24-year-old player had great hopes of securing a spot in Tite’s squad for the Copa America tournament that will take place this summer; however, it now appears that his participation is extremely improbable.
Wolves fans, who were eager to witness Cunha’s growing connection with João Moutinho in midfield, have expressed their regret and frustration upon hearing the news of the injury. The Brazilian has received an overwhelming number of words of support on social media, with many people expressing their hope that he would recover quickly.
But the fact of the matter is that Wolves are now confronted with a big obstacle because they are missing their primary attacker. As a result of Cunha’s absence, O’Neil will need to devise a strategy to fill the void in his lineup and inspire the players who are still on the roster to perform on their own. There has been a significant increase in the difficulty of the Wanderers’ competition for a spot in European football.