Only five players have bettered Matheus Cunha’s tally of 10 Premier League goals between the start of the season and the end of the year, but Wolves’ top scorer will be forced to retire for the first time in January.
The former Brazil striker was banned due to an incident which garnered infamy following his side’s home defeat to Ipswich Town on December 14.
In case evidence was needed as to how much he might be missing, the 25-year-old then scored in Wolves’ 3-0 win at Leicester City, netting a goal and providing an assist in their 2-0 win -0 at home against Manchester United in their next two matches.
How long will Cunha be out? Which matches will he miss and how much has he been sanctioned? 101GreatGoals.com has the details.
BREAKING: Matheus Cunha has been accused of misconduct following the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town 🚨 pic.twitter.com/k56pO3ZQId
– Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 17, 2024
When is Cunha suspended? How many games will he miss?
Cunha will miss a tricky Premier League match for Wolves, with Nottingham Forest visiting Molineux on January 6 (8:00 p.m. GMT) in the first match of 2025 for both clubs.
Wolves moved out of the relegation zone by one point thanks to two wins and a draw since Vitor Pereira’s arrival as manager, but Forest – who started the year in second place and on a run of five consecutive victories – could offer the best of the Portuguese. first test.
Forest have won their last three away games, following a 3-2 win at Manchester United and 2-0 wins at Brentford and Everton.
Pereira will also be without Cunha for the trip to Championship club Bristol City in the FA Cup third round on January 11 (12 p.m.).
The Robins could test Wolves, having only lost to high-flyers Burnley and Sheffield United in their first 12 home league games and finished 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
Cunha’s 72nd-minute goal looked to have given Wolves a 1-1 draw against Ipswich until Jack Taylor scored the winner four minutes into injury time.
Tempers flared at full time after a potentially damaging blow to Wolves’ survival prospects in what proved to be former manager Gary O’Neil’s final game in charge.
In footage which attracted widespread criticism, Cunha was seen appearing to elbow a member of Ipswich staff and remove his glasses from his face after the match ended, while wide player Rayan Ait- Nouri was thrown into the tunnel.
The Football Association investigated and fined Cunha £80,000 on top of the suspension, although he may have missed games in the new year after suffering an injury in Wolves’ final game in 2024.
Pereira took Cunha off at half-time of the 2-2 draw at Tottenham with a suspected hamstring problem, explaining his number 10 had “felt something” and was “not comfortable to do a sprint.”
