Wolverhampton

Wolves striker Adam Armstrong is set to miss Friday's Championship trip to Burnley because of a back injury, boss Cesar Peixoto has revealed.

The 29-year-old has only scored once in the league this season but has started up front in Wolves' past three games in the absence of Raul Jimenez, who is out until January with a knee injury.

It leaves Peixoto short of experienced striking options for the trip to Turf Moor, with teenagers Sean Neave and Mateus Mane two potential replacements.

"Adam has a problem in the back and is not going to play," Peixoto told BBC Radio WM. "We think he might be ready to play in the next game [against Portsmouth on Tuesday].

"The Championship is like that. We have to manage the minutes and because of that I want two players per position to rotate the team."

Wolves head to Burnley, who were also relegated from the Premier League last season, having slipped to 10th in the table following back-to-back defeats by Middlesbrough and Bolton.

After going into the international break with such confidence, the last few days have been a jarring experience for Wolves, even considering the normal snakes-and-ladders environment of the Championship.

With last night's report that Raul Jimenez's knee injury, initially thought to be only a brief setback, is likely to keep him out for around half of the remaining league games, this could be a bad week with longer-lasting consequences than most.

That the news should emerge after two games in which his absence was especially keenly felt is typical of the league's capricious nature.

Wolves fans, however, may not at present be inclined to shrug this off as just bad luck, the turning of a nasty 'chance card' at the wrong moment.

At the time of his selection for the Carabao Cup tie at Everton, there was surprise that Jimenez was risked for a relatively low-priority fixture, in Black Country derby week.

The level of criticism of manager Cesar Peixoto for that decision felt a little harsh.

Somebody had to play, and Jimenez was logically no more likely to be injured in that game than any other. Peixoto's argument, that Jimenez needed more game time to build up his match fitness, was credible.

It is reasonable to worry about such a dearly-loved veteran player, but the only way to be sure of avoiding any risk of injury is never to take him off the shelf at all.

Image source, Shutterstock

The ire of fans may instead focus on decisions made months ago, as Wolves were trying to piece together their squad rebuild, which took some unexpected turns.

They had longer than most clubs to prepare for their destination, and signed Adam Armstrong last January, by common understanding as a start towards building a squad to win the second tier.

He is by no means at the top of his form, but arguably Wolves have been firing over crosses as if Jimenez himself was still there winning headers, not serving the smaller man.

There is a shortage of alternatives. Mateus Mane has made fleeting appearances as the spearhead, but seems happier out wide. It might be time to give a chance to Sean Neave, talented but obviously green.

Was the intention to find somebody else, after Tolu Arokodare and Sasa Kalajdzic were allowed to go? Perhaps. Arokodare's move to Ajax was hardly mourned, but there were voices suggesting that Kalajdzic, despite his wretched luck with injuries, ought to be retained at least until a replacement arrived.

Instead, he played against Liverpool in the Champions League this week, and Wolves missed him, or somebody like him.

Ged Scott and Mike Taylor
BBC Sport England

Image source, Shutterstock

Wolves captain Kieran Trippier has stressed that now is the time to keep calm at Molineux after coming back from the extended international break straight to back-to-back defeats.

After the impressive way Wolves beat West Bromwich Albion in the last game before the Championship's three-week autumn sojourn, Cesar Peixoto's side have been pulled up with a jolt, first at Middlesbrough on Saturday, then 3-1 by Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday night, Wolves' first home defeat of the campaign.

They now have to travel to Turf Moor on Friday night to face one of Trippier's former clubs Burnley. But the 36-year-old Clarets old boy admitted that his experience in the second tier has prepared him well for times like these.

"I've played many years in the Championship," he told BBC Radio WM. "I know what it's all about, the ups and downs in football.

"The key now is to keep calm and stay positive. You just have to stand up and get though moments like this.

"It's all about people like me staying positive about the place."

Having equalised against Bolton on Tuesday, Wolves did have a great chance to take the lead, only for Adam Armstrong to be denied by keeper Gavin Bazunu before Sam Dalby put the visitors 2-1 up and Josh Sheehan added a late third goal.

"We got back into the game and were controlling it," Trippier added. "And it was a fine save which changed the game. Then we lost possession and they got in. It's all about fine margins. That's football.

"But we've only played nine or 10 games, there's 37 games left.

"We know we have got to do better, definitely, but we've got another game Friday night. Burnley will be another tough one. But we know we can do much better."

Wolves boss Cesar Peixoto spoke to BBC Radio WM after their loss against Bolton Wanderers.

For a written selection of his quotes, click here.

Image source, Opta

Wolves and Bolton Wanderers will both hope to bounce back from defeat at the weekend when they meet in the Championship at Molineux on Tuesday night.

Cesar Peixoto's side had won two on the bounce before slipping to a 1-0 loss at Middlesbrough and sit fifth in the table.

Similarly, the Trotters had won two in a row before losing 2-1 at home to Stoke and will start the evening in 17th place, three points above the relegation zone.

• This will be the first league meeting between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Bolton Wanderers since 2017-18, when Wolves won home and away in the Championship by an aggregate score of 9-1.

• Bolton are winless in four league visits to Wolves (D2 L2) since a 3-2 Premier League triumph in March 2012 under Owen Coyle.

• Wolves have won both of their past two home league games, last winning three in a row in April 2025 under Vitor Pereira.

• After their 4-3 win at Norwich, Bolton are looking for successive away league wins for the first time since October 2024.

• Wolves are winless in six league games against newly promoted opponents (D2 L4), their longest run since going seven without a win from August 1984 to October 1985.

Dazzling Dave
Fan writer

Image source, Shutterstock

The Black Country derby win against West Brom showed what Wolves can do. Defeat at Middlesbrough showed how much work remains before they can do it consistently.

I am not reaching for the panic button after two defeats in eight Championship games.

But both losses have come away to promotion rivals. That matters, because these are the matches that test whether Wolves' promotion ambitions are backed by performances.

My biggest concern is not the result. It is how easily Wolves' attacking ideas dried up.

With Raul Jimenez injured and Fer Lopez starting on the bench, this was an opportunity for others to take responsibility. Instead, Wolves looked short of both invention and a clear route to goal.

Lopez's importance goes beyond picking a pass.

He gives Wolves composure, helping them keep possession rather than rushing towards an attack that ends almost as quickly as it begins.

His absence from the starting line-up exposed how much the team depends on those qualities.

But the answer cannot always be to wait for Lopez.

There also needs to be a more honest conversation about Adam Armstrong's role.

He has proved he can score at this level, but that does not mean every attacking approach will bring out his best.

Sending crosses into the box is not much of a solution if the striker is being asked to win battles that do not suit him.

Wolves need to create opportunities for Armstrong's movement, not simply expect him to replace everything Jimenez offers.

That is partly a coaching challenge and partly a consequence of recruitment.

An injury to one forward should not leave a promotion hopeful searching for a different attacking identity.

Lopez, Jordan James and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde all made a difference after coming on, helping Wolves improve in the second half.

With all three managing niggles or injuries, I understand why Cesar Peixoto did not start them. The concern is how Wolves create enough of a threat when those players cannot play from the outset.

For me, the response needs to be more than energy and effort. Wolves must show they can build attacks with purpose, get support around their striker and adapt when their preferred approach fails.

The derby brought belief. Middlesbrough brought a reminder - promotion will require solutions, not just moments.

Find more from Dave at Always Wolves, external

We asked for your thoughts after Middlesbrough beat Wolves 1-0 on Saturday to climb into the Championship's automatic promotion spots.

Here are some of your comments:

Middlesbrough fans

KiddyChris: Hanging on at the end, but you'd possibly expect that against a good team. Fair play to Wolves, really pushed us back. But I think the best team won. Just. Feels like a big win, and finally a home clean sheet. Both teams will be up there in May. Fingers crossed this time…

David: Great result against a big rival. Lankshear has to be the buy of the season.

Paul: Haven't reached the heights of last season in terms of performance but now getting three points when we would get beat last year.

Noa: I thought Boro played a controlled game and won in a composed convincing way.

Andrew: Excellent and well done to all on this auspicious 150th anniversary. You had me worried for a while there at the end.

AyresomeAngel: Great header by our new centre-forward, nicely set up by T.C. Very useful 3 points against a good side, who, like us, are better off for the loss of a certain manager!

Image source, Shutterstock

Wolves fans

Alan: Probably the worst performance of the season. Both full-backs run ragged.

Djiga lucky not to see red early in the first half. Good job he wasn't as he played really well.

No threat up front except when Munetsi was involved. Armstrong did well to rob the keeper but looked amateurish when he gifted the ball back to him. Total lack of ability to make an accurate pass into the penalty area. Improved with the subs but difficult to say why.

James still has to show what he can do. Fer Lopez worked hard, but never got up to speed. Need a major attitude adjustment if we are to stay in the chase!

Chris C: Two decent sides Wolves looked like the break came at the wrong time. But nothing between the two sides and still very optimistic about the season.

Mike: No complaints about the result I thought Boro were the better side overall and Peixoto is kidding himself if he really thinks a draw would have been a fairer result. Wolves never really got going until they went behind and wasted the half chances they created when chasing the equaliser.

Wol: We have played two of the favourites for promotion and lost to them both. We lack a target man up front playing with two wide men and Armstrong up top. We won't win games. None of our balls in the box found a Wolves player. Defensive errors cause us problems as always.

John: Wolves management still have not realised that without a goalscorer who can score 14 or 15 goals in the season at this level, they can never achieve automatic promotion. At present top six at best is their level. And this comment from a supporter of the club for 70 years.