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Sitting four points adrift of safety in the top flight, Wolves and Julen Lopetegui have plenty to be concerned with going forward, yet Tuesday’s encounter with Gillingham feels like the start of a new era.
If reports are to be believed, the Spaniard intends to go on a signing spree in January with some high-profile names in line to arrive at Molineux, seemingly ripping up the process of buying younger players with potential to sell for a profit in later years.
Wolves have an important and testing restart in equal measure. After this game, fixtures with Everton, Manchester United and Aston Villa loom before a trip to Liverpool in the FA Cup.
However, for now, at least, Lopetegui will be focused on trying to move Wolves through to their first EFL Cup quarter-final for 27 years.
In the build-up to this match, Wolves have played Empoli and Cadiz in friendlies, drawing with the Italian side before coming through a thriller with the La Liga outfit by a 4-3 scoreline.
However, this squad are well refreshed after a couple of postponements, and they will view this as an opportunity to potentially set up a money-spinning last-eight tie.
Gillingham are already in that position having been drawn at home to Leicester City in the FA Cup third round, something which arguably takes the pressure off this contest given that they know extra income is already coming through the door.
The Kent-based side also showed in the last round that they are capable of overcoming Premier League opposition on away territory, coming from behind to eventually defeat Brentford in a penalty shootout.
During the World Cup break, Lopetegui has experimented with a back three and back four, the latter likely to be used for this contest.
First-choice goalkeeper Jose Sa could get the nod over Matija Sarkic between the sticks having failed to earn any game time with Portugal at the World Cup.
However, while Ruben Neves may feature among the replacements, Matheus Nunes could start alongside Joe Hodge with Boubacar Traore out injured, while Diego Costa should get the nod over Raul Jimenez down the middle of the attack.
After a 12-day gap, Harris may be willing to start with the Gillingham XI which begun the 3-2 victory over Dagenham & Redbridge in the FA Cup.
Nevertheless, after each of Alex MacDonald and Scott Kashket came off the substitutes’ bench to provide an assist in that contest, both players are pushing for chances in the final third.
Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Sa; Semedo, Collins, Kilman, Bueno; B.Traore, Moutinho, Hodge; Traore, Costa, Podence
Gillingham possible starting lineup:
Turner; Wright, Ehmer, Baggott, Tutonda; Williams, Jefferies; Kashket, Adelakun, Reeves; Walker
In the week that the Bulls lost their most famous ex-player, FA Cup legend Ronnie Radford – 50 years on from his iconic match-winning goal against Newcastle – it briefly looked like there might be some left-over magic in the air.
For seven minutes, the sixth-tier outfit led after Miles Storey’s goal against the team 81 places above them in the English football pyramid in League One.
But Pompey hit back, with Reeco Hackett quickly levelling before second-half goals from Colby Bishop and substitute Joe Pigott earned the twice FA Cup winners a safe passage to Monday’s second-round draw
Making their first trip to Edgar Street in 38 years, Pompey were given a good first-half workout by the fired-up hosts.
Although home keeper Dale Eve had to keep out Hackett’s left-foot curler bound for the top corner, Pompey had a first real scare when Bishop’s challenge on Hereford’s former million-pound marksman Tyrone Barnett in the visitors’ penalty box went unpunished.
And there was worse to follow for Pompey when Hereford took the lead on 26 minutes.
Sean Raggett played a loose pass inside to Hackett, who was immediately closed down and robbed by Storey – and the former Pompey player raced away down the inside-left channel before keeping his cool to nutmeg on-loan West Bromwich Albion keeper Josh Griffiths.
Fittingly, just two days on from the announcement of the sad passing of Hereford’s legendary number 11, their modern-day number 11 emulated his predecessor.
There had already been a minute’s silence, which cascaded into applause from the whole ground, followed by chants of ‘there’s only one Ronnie Radford’ when the clock showed 11 minutes.
But this goal was destined not to prove so famous.
Ronan Curtis headed down Connor Ogilvie’s far-post cross for Hackett to bring down and fire home coolly from six yards.
On 63 minutes, Portsmouth took the lead when, from Clark Robertson’s in-swinging right-foot corner from the left, Bishop timed his run to get there first and head his 10th goal of the season.
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And Pigott wrapped up victory 10 minutes from time when, again from a corner by skipper Robertson, Bishop won the initial header before Pigott reacted sharpest to sidefoot home
Hereford FC boss Josh Gowling told BBC Sport:
“I’m really disappointed because we should have got something out of it, but goals change games – and the quality of the delivery they have changes games.
“In the first half we were excellent. We were in the ascendancy and they looked nervous.
“We were on top and looked like we could go on and win, but we’ve made one mistake, it has cost us a goal and that’s the difference in levels.
“We’ve given them a leg up and a little lift and you could see their performance raise after that.”
Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley told BBC Sport:
“I was so sad to hear the news about Ronnie Radford. He was such an iconic figure and he had that iconic moment. For a lot of people my age, his famous goal was their first memories of the FA Cup. But what a brilliant night to celebrate his life