Only five players have bettered Matheus Cunha’s 10 goals from the start of the season to the end of the year, but Wolves’ top scorer will be forced out of action for the first time in January.
The former Brazil forward was suspended for an infamous incident following his side’s home defeat to Ipswich Town on 14 December.
In case any evidence was needed of how much he could be missing, the 25-year-old went on to score in Wolves’ 3-0 win at Leicester City and bag a goal and assist in a 2-0 home win over Manchester United in their next two games.
How long will Cunha be out? Which games will he miss and how much has he been fined? 101GreatGoals.com has the details.
IMPORTANT: Matheus Cunha charged with misconduct after Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town 🚨 pic.twitter.com/k56pO3ZQId
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 17, 2024
When is Cunha’s suspension? How many games will he miss?
Cunha will miss a tough Premier League fixture for Wolves, with Nottingham Forest visiting Molineux on January 6 (20:00 GMT) in the first game of 2025 for both clubs.
Wolves have climbed a point clear of the relegation zone thanks to two wins and a draw since the arrival of Vitor Pereira as their manager, but Forest – who started the year in second place and on a five-game winning streak – could offer the best for the Portuguese. early test.
Forest have won their last three away games, following a 3-2 win at Manchester United with 2-0 wins at Brentford and Everton.
Pereira will also be without Kunia for the trip to Championship side Bristol City in the FA Cup third round on January 11 (12pm).
The Robins could test Wolves, having only lost to Burnley and Sheffield United in their opening 12 home league games and ended the year with two wins in four days at Ashton Gate against Luton Town and Portsmouth.
— FA Spokesperson (@FAspokesperson) December 31, 2024
Why is Cunha banned? Ipswich Clash Explained
Kunia’s 72nd-minute goal looked set to give Wolves a 1-1 draw against Ipswich until Jack Taylor scored the winner four minutes into added time.
Tempers flared at full-time following a potentially damaging blow to Wolves’ survival prospects in what turned out to be former manager Gary O’Neill’s last game in charge.
In widely-criticised footage, Cunha was seen elbowing a member of the Ipswich staff and yanking their glasses off his face after the match, while punter Rayan Ait-Nouri was sent off in the tunnel.
The Football Association investigated and fined Kunia £80,000 along with the ban, although he may have been out of games in the new year regardless of his injury in Wolves’ final game of 2024.
Pereira withdrew Kunia at half-time in Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with a suspected hamstring problem, explaining that his number 10 had “felt something” and was “not comfortable doing a sprint”.
