“The fact that we will not have Alexander Isak with us for a period is, of course, a major disappointment. In the moment that Alex was injured, he showed the movement, the finishing and the overall quality that he can bring to our team so it is a big blow to be without him.
“If I am allowed a wish at Christmas, it would be that he recovers as well and as quickly as possible.
“In the meantime, we will have to manage without him and also the other players who are unavailable for one reason or another. This has been one of the stories of our season so far and we have no option but to cope and this means finding solutions and, most importantly, sticking together on and off the pitch.
“That ability to be united has been one of our most important qualities throughout a year which has brought us some of our highest highs and our lowest lows. Reflecting on everything that has happened over the last 12 months ignites a rollercoaster of emotions but it is normal at this time of year to look back to everything that has happened.
“Doing so leads me to think especially of the family of Diogo Jota on what will be their first Christmas without him. It is not my place to tell them where they should look for comfort – if that is even possible – but I can only hope that the feeling of love and affection that Diogo still generates brings them some solace.
“The sense of loss will be particularly strong on Saturday, of course, as it will be the first time that Diogo’s two English teams will meet since his tragic passing. Like us, Wolves were clearly very affected by the loss of such a special player and person so my thoughts continue to be with them also.
