Roman Saiss: Wolves can play their own way

Wolves host Southampton tomorrow on the back of their 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford last Saturday.

That performance was one of two performances that have stood out for Saiss this season – the other being the Manchester City draw – which he says show Wolves can hold their own in England’s top flight.

The midfielder said: “There is two games in my mind, one against Manchester City and the other against United because we played two of the best teams in the league and we showed our best level.

“We kept the same identity from last season.

“We try to control the game and we did it well and that is why we are going to continue this way and I think this is the best way for the team and for the club.”

Saiss joined Wolves in August 2016 from French top-tier outfit Angers on a four-year-deal.

He played an instrumental part in last season’s Championship-winning campaign where he made 37 appearances and scored four goals.

However, with the arrival of Portugal midfielder Joao Moutinho over the summer, Saiss has found himself fallen down the pecking order. But the Moroccan international says he is ‘really lucky’ to be at Wolves and feels he has learnt a lot about football since making the switch from Ligue 1.

He said: “I think that the big difference especially when I came, it was two years ago, we played in the Championship, so the intensity of the game was very, very different with the first league in France and also the life of England was totally different.

“Game after game, week after week, it was very good for me because I learned English quickly I think, and adapted myself to English football, and now I am really lucky and have no regret to sign for Wolves.”

Saiss is unlikely to start tomorrow though with Nuno Espirito Santo set to name the same XI for the seventh league game in a row.

Only Watford can match that statistic this season and the stability has certainly helped Wolves, who are unbeaten in four league games.

They face Saints in a league game for the first time in more than 10 years knowing that a win would put them seven points clear of the south coast side.

It’s the start of an appetising run of fixtures for Wolves with Crystal Palace, Watford and Brighton to follow before matches against North London giants Spurs and Arsenal in November.

Nuno’s biggest selection headache tomorrow arguably comes when naming his substitutes.

Ivan Cavaleiro returned to action this week after two months out with a back problem, while Leander Dendoncker made an assured home debut in Wolves colours.