Star striker and £15m man among six out for Leeds United's hosts Wolves despite double boost

Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-chan have recently returned from injuries but striker Diego Costa, Pablo Sarabia, Hugo Bueno and Boubacar Traore were still missing for last weekend's defeat at Newcastle United in addition to longer term absentees Chiquinho and Sasa Kalajdzic.

Wolves signed former Chelsea striker Costa back in September and the 34-year-old has amassed 16 outings since joining the club but the forward injured his left knee in the 1-0 win at home to Tottenham at the start of this month.

Costa was eventually stretchered off and was still missing from the Wolves matchday squad for Sunday’s clash at St James’ Park for which both Cunha and Hwang were both back involved after recent setbacks.

Cunha was an unused substitute for the contest having re-appeared in the second half of the previous weekend's win at home to Spurs but Hwang was brought on with 21 minutes left against the Magpies upon his return to fitness from a hamstring injury.

But Wolves lost the services of Sarabia in the build-up to the visit to Newcastle after the Spanish international winger suffered a problem in training which meant he joined Costa, Bueno and Traore plus longer-term absentees Chiquinho and Kalajdzic on the sidelines.

Bueno has not been seen since injuring his hamstring in the first half of the 2-0 defeat at Liverpool at the start of the month. Bueno was taken off in the 24th minute and boss Julen Lopetegui said he was probably looking at three or four weeks out. Traore has yet to play under Lopetegui and recently suffered a fresh problem upon recovering from groin surgery.

Chiquinho suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in pre-season, after which he underwent surgery. Kalajdzic, a £15m summer signing, ruptured his ACL on his Wolves debut in September's 1-0 win at home to Southampton and has been omitted from Wolves' Premier League squad.