Raul Jimenez Injured Ahead of Black Country Derby
Wolves have suffered a major setback on the eve of the Black Country derby, with Raul Jimenez ruled out after injuring his left knee in the Carabao Cup defeat at Everton.
The 35-year-old striker, who has quickly re-established himself as a central figure since returning to Molineux in the summer, was forced off in the 1-0 loss at Goodison Park on Wednesday night.
Head coach Cesar Peixoto confirmed the damage is not as serious as first feared, but the timing could hardly be worse.
“Raul has injured his knee,” Peixoto told BBC Radio WM. “It is not too bad. But we are all frustrated because he is a key player for us.
“He will stay injured for a few weeks. But we have this break for the internationals to recover, so he will stay with us.
“These kind of things can happen in the game or a training session. We don't control these kind of things.”
Derby dream delayed again
Jimenez’s absence means he will once more miss out on a Black Country derby, a fixture he has yet to experience despite his long association with Wolves.
He sat out both league clashes with West Bromwich Albion in the 2020-21 season as he recovered from the fractured skull suffered against Arsenal, and now injury has intervened again just days before Sunday’s showdown.
The blow comes just as Jimenez had found his stride. Since his return from Fulham, the Mexico international has scored three times: two penalties and, most notably, last Sunday’s late winner from open play at Sheffield United. His goals, and his presence, had begun to give Wolves a focal point they had been missing.
Peixoto admitted he had weighed up resting his veteran forward at Everton, but chose to keep him in the side with the derby in mind.
Asked if he had considered leaving Jimenez out at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, he replied: “He had to play to stay in the rhythm to play on Sunday.”
Instead, Wolves must now face their fiercest rivals without their most experienced striker, leaning on the international break to nurse him back and hoping this latest interruption does not derail the momentum he had just started to build.
