Cunha will be absent for Wolves’ Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest and their FA Cup third-round fixture at Bristol City following an incident with Ipswich staff earlier this month. The 25-year-old Brazilian was charged with misconduct by the Football Association after allegedly striking a member of Ipswich’s security team with his arm and seizing their glasses during a confrontation following Wolves’ 2-1 home defeat on December 14. The altercation led to heated exchanges between Ipswich staff and players after the final whistle.
Wolves have been struggling this season and were left close to the relegation zone after losing to Ipswich in their last Premier League fixture before the break. Manager Gary O’Neil sacked them after that defeat, but they recovered under new boss Vitor Pereira. Cunha has been one of their brightest lights this term, scoring eight goals in just 19 appearances. He scored the winner against Brighton in a vital league game and set up their late equalizer in a 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Boxing Day.
The incident with Ipswich staff was the latest in a long line of disciplinary issues involving Wolves this season. Midfielder Mario Lemina was stripped of the club captaincy following an altercation with West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen after their 2-1 defeat at Molineux, while goalkeeper Jose Sa climbed into the north bank of the ground to argue with fans during the 4-2 loss against Bournemouth last month.
Cunha will now miss Wolves’ home match with Forest on Monday and their FA Cup match at Bristol City. After the upcoming break, the Old Gold will face Newcastle United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Aston Villa in their next five league games, so Cunha’s absence is a blow.
He was a key player for Wolves in their victories over Leicester City and Manchester United, which kicked-started their recovery under Vitor Pereira, so it is a shame to see the striker miss out on such a significant chunk of their schedule.
Wolves top scorer Cunha will be unavailable for their next two games after the FA charged him with misconduct following his clash with Ipswich security staff at Molineux on Dec. 14. The 25-year-old will be banned for two matches and fined 80,000 pounds ($100,296.00) after being found guilty of a breach of FA rules on acting “in an improper manner.” The incident occurred after Wolves conceded a stoppage-time goal in the 2-1 loss to Ipswich Town, which saw them fall to 18th.