Journalist Dean Jones believes three specific Premier League matches could ultimately prove key for Wolves manager Bruno Lage, in terms of his future at the club.

The Lowdown: Wolves struggling for form

It hasn't been a convincing start to the season for Wanderers, who sit 14th in the table after six games, only winning once to date in the league in 2022/23.

Next up for Wolves is the Saturday lunchtime visit of reigning champions Manchester City, and the odds suggest that another negative result will come their way.

Lage finds himself under the most pressure he's ever been under during his time in charge at Molineux, with good results a rarity and the football on show not exactly entertaining.

The Latest: Journalist makes Lage claim

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones admitted that there are three October matches which could decide the manager's future:

"They’ve got two difficult games coming after the international break. After those two, I think they’ve got Forest, Palace and Leicester. I reckon that if we get that far, maybe it’s those three games that dictate whether he’s the man for this job.

"If you get to Forest, Palace and Leicester and you’re still not finding your groove, you’re still not scoring goals and you’re still not picking up points, it might be that your time’s up."

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The Verdict: Huge October

This is a fair assessment, with the City game one that anything other than a defeat is a bonus in, while the international break is followed by difficult away trips to West Ham and Chelsea.

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That being said, the fixtures against Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Leicester City do all feel huge, with failure to get a minimum of four-six points simply not good enough.

Realistically, two wins out of three need to come Wolves' way in those matches - if not, you start to wonder if a change of manager could be required at Molineux.