Bruno Lage addresses Ruben Neves concern before huge Arsenal clash

Ruben Neves has been told to forget about the disciplinary tightrope he is walking and gun down Arsenal.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ star midfielder picked up his ninth booking of the season against Leicester City last time out, meaning a caution this evening would rule him out of Sunday’s crucial match with West Ham United.

The Premier League’s yellow card amnesty comes in after game week 32, which gives Neves a further eight fixtures to negotiate in order to avoid a two-match suspension.

Neves, who has been booked in three of Wolves’ last four matches, has received more yellow cards than any other player in the Premier League this season.

But head coach Bruno Lage doesn’t want Neves to change his game through fear of picking up another caution at The Emirates.

“I don't want him to think about this,” Lage said. “Every game is hard and you cannot manage any player in that situation.

“To be honest, I have top midfielders - Ruben is an important player but if he isn’t there, we have a top player to replace him.

“Midfielders are the guys who are more at risk. Strikers don’t make too many fouls and defenders do more dangerous fouls, so it’s down to the midfielders to fight and win the duels.

“Ruben will play and we don’t think about that because I have a good solution to play in that position.”

Neves has become even more influential since Lage became Wolves head coach in the summer. The vast majority of Wolves’ play now goes through the 24-year-old, who has played more passes than any of his teammates and contributed three vitally important goals this term.

He is being courted by numerous clubs, including Wolves’ rivals for Europe Arsenal and Manchester United.

Neves is determined to lead Wolves back into Europe though and