FA Cup: Bristol City v Wolves preview - Winning mentality can aid Premier League priorities

Without meaning to disrespect a great and historic competition, Vitor Pereira's sole task in 2025 is to keep Wolves in the Premier League and tomorrow's game offers a distraction from their main aims.

However, to see it as such is perhaps the wrong mentality for the a team that is working on restoring pride and confidence.

Winning games, however they come and in whatever competition, can only positively impact a group fighting for their lives.

The winning start under Pereira did wonders for the dressing room and renewed hope in many supporters, and giving them an away day to remember at Bristol City will help breed more confidence around this Wolves team.

The Premier League remains the priority, but Wolves must still approach tomorrow's game in a professional manner and with the will to win, otherwise they will come away second best.

In the dressing room, the players are seemingly taking the correct approach.

“I'm sure the manager will obviously want to win," Matt Doherty said.

"We had a good cup run under Nuno and got to the semi-final, and it's just exciting for everybody. You’ll see the excitement in the fans, in your own family, if you can get deeper into the competition and it just brings positivity to everyone.

“We’d love a cup run, but so would everyone else – nobody ever goes out to not win a game of football. Every fan wants their team to win the game, so this game happens to be a cup game and we just want to win it. 

"Obviously, there's a trophy at the end of it and that's what's at stake, but I think any competition you go into, you need to take it seriously.”

Just how seriously Pereira takes it with his team selection, remains to be seen.

The game being at a weekend means he could go strong, but the midweek trip to Newcastle on Wednesday will be in the back of his mind, with Wolves desperate to avoid injuries to key players.

New signing Emmanuel Agbadou, who signed from French side Reims yesterday and went straight into training with his new team-mates, could come straight into the side for his Wolves debut.

Summer addition Bastien Meupiyou, 18, has yet to play for the first team and could be in line for some minutes with Wolves' injury issues at the back, but it is likely to depend on Agbadou's ability to come straight into the side.

Pereira will then have to find the balance between not risking key players but also being competitive enough to win the game.

The energetic Rodrigo Gomes may play ahead of Rayan Ait-Nouri at left-wing-back, while Carlos Forbs could be handed an opportunity further forward.

Depending on Nelson Semedo's recovery from a hamstring issue, teenager Pedro Lima could be given another start at right-wing-back, while up front towering striker Jorgen Strand Larsen would provide enough quality firepower.