Southampton v Wolves - Match preview

The boss faces the unusual task of preparing for the same team for two consecutive games after Thursday’s FA Cup defeat.

It will likely be a fairly easy task, however, after the Saints named a strong side in midweek.

Liverpool loanee Takumi Minamino may return to the starting XI, alongside Jannik Vestergaard and Che Adams who were all rested.

Wolves, on the other hand, are expected to make several changes after playing a weakened side in the Cup – but Nuno is still wary of the short rest between the two games.

“The work to assess our recovery starts now,” he said.

“It is a quick turnaround until we play again. We have to recover very well so we get a good performance.

“Both teams already know each other. Sunday will be a different game for sure.

“Different things, new game. Regarding this one, we have to do better.

“Consistency is one of the most difficult things to achieve in football. You want to achieve consistency. When you do well, you want to consistently achieve these performances.

“We have not been consistent. What we need to do first is perform better in each game, then we can search for the consistency in our game that you are talking about.

“The best of the players needs the best of the players. We have the task to improve them.”

Wolves have now only scored in one of their last five matches as a lack of goals continues to be an issue.

Fabio Silva has netted twice this season, while new signing Willian Jose is yet to get on the scoresheet.

When asked if the lack of goals is an issue that runs deeper than the strikers, Nuno added: “Of course. Much more.

“It is the lines of the balls, the consistency of our possession. It is about having possession higher up the pitch, not always coming to the last line to rotate the ball. It is a lot of things, not only the strikers.

“We didn’t have many problems before. We faced tough, tough situations and we have been able to bounce back, like we will do this time again.

“We have very high standards.

“We know our players are good players and competitive players. We have to keep them at the high standard of performances. You are asking me now, what can we do to get the best out of them? We are a good team.

“We have to solve all the situations because it is not just that we are not scoring, we are also conceding very poor goals in a way that within the rules of the team makes me very disappointed. You have to play to the whistle. Why did we stop? Why?” Conor Coady was rested on Thursday, as Romain Saiss made his return to the team.

The captain is expected to come back into the side tomorrow and despite Southampton’s poor Premier League form, he is expecting a stern test.

“They have some fantastic players with a fantastic manager,” Coady said.

“We don’t really look at the form they have been in, I think all teams have been in good form and bad form this season. It’s such an unprecedented year and a mad season so we don’t really look at the form they have been in.

“We just know coming up to play against them, how they can be and what they play like, we have played them once this season (league) where we drew 1-1 so we know how good they

can be.

“We don’t look too much at what has happened in the past, we look at what’s coming and what we have ahead of us in the games to come. And, like I said, they have some fantastic players so we need to make sure we prepare right for it.”

Jose, Pedro Neto and Adama Traore are likely to return in attack, while Nelson Semedo may also return at right-wing-back. Daniel Podence and Willy Boly are not expected to be available as they nurse injuries.