Preview: Wolves v Shrewsbury – up for the cup?

Wolves correspondent Tim Spiers previews the clash.

Preamble

Since they last met on January 26, Wolves and Shrewsbury have experienced wildly contrasting fortunes in the league.

Wolves took on West Ham and Everton – two sides who share their ambitions for a seventh-place finish – and convincingly beat them 3-0 and 3-1 respectively with performances that have set the standards they will look to aspire to for the rest of the campaign.

Shrewsbury, meanwhile, endured two defeats – one a last-gasp 4-3 injury-time loss at Bradford, the other a disappointing 3-0 home reverse to Luton Town on Saturday.

Those results have seen Salop plummet into the League One relegation zone for the first time this season.

But the only message from Nuno Espirito Santo at yesterday's pre-match press conference was to ignore any distractions and focus on the task at hand – i.e. don't underestimate their opponents.

After all, Wolves were just a few stoppage time minutes away from being unceremoniously dumped out of the competition by the struggling Shrews at Montgomery Waters Meadow.

While the FA Cup may not have been on Wolves' agenda this season, supporters are starting to implore that Wolves now take it as seriously as possible, particularly with a winnable route to the quarter finals and with only two of the big six guaranteed to reach the final eight of the competition.

A bumper crowd at Molineux on Tuesday night for a tie against League One opposition only reflects the growing excitement levels at the club.

Nuno managed to keep a lid on expectancy last season when Wolves rarely, if ever, looked complacent on their way to winning the Championship title.

His biggest task for the coming weeks may be to do the same again – starting tomorrow.

The opposition

Shrewsbury's poor league form may come into Sam Ricketts' thinking for tonight's team selection. He played a full strength XI in the first tie but a trip to fellow strugglers Bristol Rovers looms large on Saturday.

Then again, he's short of options in some positions with a number of late January additions ineligible to play at Molineux tonight.

Whatever team he goes with, Ricketts will take heart from how his players so nearly beat Wolves last month.

"We have to have the same level of performance and discipline that we showed in that game, stick to the game plan and see what happens," the ex-Wolves trophy-winning captain said

"Wolves don't change, that's probably one of the biggest things you can pay compliment to them.

"They won't change how they play, they're the same every game.

"I expect them to move the ball well and move it quickly across a good surface so we have to be prepared for that an show some resilience, be hard to play against and look to break when we can.

"It's going to be a great game and a great occasion. The players have earned the right to get back to Molineux, similar to the last round against Stoke."

That Stoke game saw Shrewsbury come from 2-0 down with 20 minutes to play and win 3-2 – a victory that belied their league woes.

"We're a little bit Jekyll and Hyde at the moment, one performance can be very, very good, then we come away from that and the next game isn't," Ricketts added.

"That can be for a number of reasons. I do think fatigue for the players is part of it, I think they've played an awful lot of games. Two games a week for a very long time so that has hurt us at times."

"We've got some fresh faces in so we are where we are from now until the end of the season."

Team news

Wolves are without Diogo Jota, who picked up a knock during Saturday's win at Everton.

Ruben Vinagre (virus) is a doubt, while Ruben Neves (calf) may not be risked after limping off at Goodison Park.

Nuno revealed yesterday that Ryan Giles, who made his debut in the first tie, and young striker Niall Ennis, will be in the squad. Ennis has never played for Wolves' first team, with his only senior football ironically coming in a Shrewsbury shirt during a loan spell last season which was curtailed by injury.

For Shrewsbury, ex-Wolves stalwart Dave Edwards faces a late fitness test on the groin injury that saw him miss the first game.

Another former Wolves man Scott Golbourne is ineligible as he was signed after the first tie.

Mat Sadler and Anthony Grant are suspended.

Likely line ups

Wolves (3-4-3): Ruddy; Bennett, Coady, Boly; Doherty, Dendoncker, Saiss, Giles; Costa, Traore, Cavaleiro. Subs: Norris, John, Otto, Moutinho, Gibbs-White, Jimenez, Ennis.

Shrewsbury (3-4-2-1): Arnold; Bolton, Waterfall, Beckles; Sears, Norburn, Vincelot, Haynes; Whalley, Docherty; Okenabirhie.

Key players

Wolves – Adama Traore

Nuno is likely to make a few changes and record signing Adama Traore could do with a goal. He has only scored once this term for Wolves.

Shrewsbury – Fejiri Okenabirhie

Shrewsbury’s top scorer with 14 in all competitions. Plucked from non-league Dagenham & Redbridge in the summer, the 22-year-old has proven to be a diamond from the rough and scored a hat-trick in defeat at Bradford last week.

The bosses

Nuno Espirito Santo: "I expect a very tough game against a highly motivated team. We must be really focused. We have to be switched on."

Sam Ricketts: "Wolves will go strong as they have done in every game so far. it will be a tough game against a team who are flying in the league, however we have to go there and back ourselves. There's no reason why we can't cause another FA Cup shock."

Form

Wolves WWDWL

Feb 2: Everton 1 (Gomes 27) Wolves 3 (Neves pen 7, Jimenez 45, Dendoncker 66)

Jan 29: Wolves 3 (Saiss 66, Jimenez 80, 86) West Ham 0

Jan 26: Shrewsbury Town 2 (Docherty 46, Waterfall 72) Wolves 2 (Jimenez 75, Doherty 90+3) *FA Cup

Jan 19: Wolves 4 (Jota 4, 64, 90+3, Bennett 12) Leicester 3 (Gray 47, Coady OG 51, Morgan 87)

Jan 14: Manchester City 3 (Jesus 10, pen 39, Coady OG 78) Wolves 0

Shrewsbury LLDDW

Feb 2: Shrewsbury 0 Luton Town 3 (Collins 30, 69, Pearson 53)

Jan 29: Bradford City 4 (Grant OG 19, O'Brien 38, Doyle 60, Ball 90+6) Shrewsbury 3 (Okenabirhie 27, 76, pen 90+3)

Jan 26: Shrewsbury 2 (Docherty 46, Waterfall 72) Wolves 2 (Jimenez 75, Doherty 90+3) *FA Cup

Jan 19: Blackpool 0 Shrewsbury 0

Jan 15: Stoke City 2 (Campbell 20, 36) Shrewsbury 3 (Bolton 71, Okenabirhie pen 77, Laurent 81) *FA Cup

Past five meetings

Jan 26, 2018: (FA Cup) Shrewsbury 2 (Docherty 46, Waterfall 72) Wolves 2 (Jimenez 75, Doherty 90+3)

Mar 15, 2014 (L1): Wolves 0 Shrewsbury 0

Sep 21, 2013 (L1): Shrewsbury 0 Wolves 1 (Sako pen 84)

Oct 8, 1991 (League Cup): Shrewsbury 3 Wolves 1 (Steele)

Sep 24, 1991 (League Cup): Wolves 6 (Steele, Birch 2, Bull 2, Burke)

Referee

Lee Probert (Wiltshire)

Premier League referee who takes charge of a Wolves game for the first time this season.

Probert has shown no fewer than six red cards in his 19 games so far, as well as 67 yellows.

Match odds

Wolves 1/5, draw 6/1, Shrewsbury 14/1