Wolverhampton Wanderers are back at Molineux on Saturday 31 October to face Cardiff City in the Championship. The fixture comes just days after a vital home win, with Adam Armstrong's first-half strike securing a 1-0 victory over Watford on Tuesday night.

That result snapped a two-game winless run and moved Wolves to a record of two wins, one draw, and two losses from their last five outings. The form line, reading LDWWL, shows the team's recent inconsistency but also the potential for a strong run. This recent sequence includes a 1-1 draw with Portsmouth and a 2-1 win at Burnley, but also a 1-3 home defeat to Bolton and a 1-0 loss at Middlesbrough. Fer López, who provided the assist for Jordan James's equaliser against Portsmouth last weekend, remains the club's top scorer this campaign with five goals in 11 appearances.

Team news and selection

Manager Gary O'Neil is expected to have a settled group to choose from for the Welsh side's visit. The starting lineup that defeated Watford featured José Sá in goal, with a back four of Trippier, Mosquera, Krejčí, and Hugo Bueno. The midfield trio of André, Munetsi, and Jordan James provided the platform for attackers Saïd and the match-winner, Adam Armstrong, who scored the only goal in the 35th minute against Watford.

Cardiff arrive having also won in midweek, beating Birmingham City, but they were held to a draw by Middlesbrough and lost to Blackburn in their recent fixtures. Their last starting XI included Trott, Perry Ng, Fish, Bagan, and Scanlon in defence.

Building momentum

The immediate challenge for Wolves is to turn Molineux into a fortress and string together positive results. The victory over Watford was a step in that direction, and the upcoming fixtures present an opportunity to climb the table. The team showed resilience to come from behind and draw with Portsmouth, a trait they will need against a physical Cardiff side. The equaliser against Portsmouth came in the 87th minute from Terry Devlin, after Jordan James had put Wolves ahead in the 62nd minute, showing the team's persistence deep into matches.

Saturday's match against Cardiff on 31 October kicks off a busy period, and securing three points would provide a significant boost. The focus will be on maintaining the defensive solidity shown against Watford while finding more avenues to goal for the in-form Fer López. The final whistle on Saturday will signal the start of preparations for the next challenge in a demanding schedule.

Manager Cesar Peixoto confirmed the importance of the 1-0 win over Watford on 24 October, stating it was "imperative" after recent frustrations at Molineux. The club's report detailed a positive start, with Saïd and Jordan James going close early on, before Adam Armstrong's 35th-minute winner. The victory, which followed a 1-1 draw with Portsmouth, was secured despite late pressure, with José Sá making a key save from Edo Kayembe.

Adam Armstrong said Wolves' 1-0 win over Watford on 24 October should have been more emphatic. The striker, who scored the 35th-minute winner, told the club's media, "In the first half, I think we were probably at our best for the season." He added that the side could have been "two or three goals up at half-time" but praised the clean sheet and the three points. The victory, which followed a 1-1 draw with Portsmouth, gives the squad a week to prepare for the visit of Cardiff City on 31 October.

Following Wolves' 1-0 win over Watford on 24 October, fans have voiced concerns about the team's performance. One supporter, Jon, told the club's media there is a "flat and frustrated mood" and that the side "allowed Watford back into the game." The victory, secured by Adam Armstrong's 35th-minute strike, forms part of a recent run of two wins, one draw and two losses.

The BBC's match analysis of Wolves' 1-0 win over Watford on 24 October highlighted a persistent issue. The club's report noted that despite taking 24 shots, only three were on target. This statistic, a 12.5% conversion rate, was cited as evidence that promising attacks are too often failing to test the opposition goalkeeper.

Watford captain Mattie Pollock has revealed that Wolves goalkeeper José Sá did not make a single save in the 1-0 win on 24 October. Pollock told the club's supporters via Instagram, "Your support doesn't go unnoticed by us, Hornets. We'll keep working to put things right." The victory, secured by Adam Armstrong's 35th-minute goal, was Wolves' second win in their last five matches.