Wolves lineup vs. Southampton: Predicted XI for Premier League basement battle

Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Gary O'Neil is working around five absentees and two doubts for Saturday's Premier League bottom-of-the-table encounter.

The Old Gold - whose 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace last weekend extended their wait for a top-flight win - are expected to be without Bastien Meupiyou (fitness), Sasa Kalajdzic (knee), Enso Gonzalez (knee), Boubacar Traore (knee) and Yerson Mosquera (knee) once again.

Attacker Hwang Hee-chan (ankle) is also thought to only have a slim chance of coming back for Saturday's fixture, while Sam Johnstone is yet to return to competitive action despite returning to training from a groin injury in late October, having suffered from an illness in recent weeks.

With Johnstone's out of match practice, Jose Sa is primed to keep his place in goal, shielded by an unchanged central defensive line of Santiago Bueno, Craig Dawson and Toti.

Nelson Semedo and Rayan Ait-Nouri are stalwarts out wide, but O'Neil may be tempted into one change in midfield, as Mario Lemina was fine to come on as a second-half substitute against Palace following a calf injury.

Lemina could now return to the engine room alongside Tommy Doyle, in turn pushing Joao Gomes into an attacking role alongside Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen as Pablo Sarabia drops down to the bench.

Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup: Sa; Toti, Bueno, Dawson; Semedo, Doyle, Lemina, Ait-Nouri; Gomes, Cunha; Strand Larsen

> Click here to see how Southampton could line up for this match