Vitor Pereira urges Wolves players to fight for their places

The boss has not been afraid to make changes as he seeks a winning formula with his team rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.

Jose Sa and Toti Gomes, two players in the squad’s four-man leadership group, have both found themselves omitted from the line-up in recent matches but Pereira won’t hesitate from making tough decisions.

He said: "At this moment we have internal competition in positions and everybody needs to understand they are competing and we cannot offer the positions.

"They need to fight for their positions.”

Wolves, winless after seven league matches for the second straight season, face two huge games against Sunderland and Burnley after the international break.

Pereira, who last month agreed a new three-year contract with the club, admitted there had been some tough conversations with players who currently find themselves out of the team.

He said: "I had a conversation with everybody and explained the reasons.

"We are trying to get results, I'm trying to find solutions and I will change the system.

"I'm trying to find a balance between my ideas and the players I have at this moment.

"I'm trying to be fair every day. Of course, sometimes I'm not, but if a player is working well his chance will come.

"With the decisions I make, my message to them is that if you work hard every day, you are on my list.

"I'm looking at your work and I believe the players that are not playing now in the first XI will have the chance to play again, for sure.

"I have a very good group. Since the beginning I've spoken about their personalities, I don't have any problems with the players, just honest conversations to explain the decisions.

"Sometimes, of course, they don't understand because they think they are better than the other one, but this is their opinion and I have mine.”