Wolverhampton Wanderers may already be without winger Michael Kightly for the rest of the season but there is hope that their other key players will be fit for Monday’s top-of-the-table clash with Birmingham City at St Andrew’s.

Striker Chris Iwelumo returned home early from Scottish International duty before Tuesday’s game with Iceland with a hip strain but is expected to recover in time for the crucial Coca-Cola Championship game.

Fellow targetman Sylvan Ebanks-Blake is also back from a calf tear while winger Matt Jarvis is on his way back from a knee problem.

Wolves’ chief medic, Steve Kemp, said: “Chris was sent back from Scotland as a precautionary measure and for an assessment by our medical team and we don’t think it’s anything too serious.

“He has a hip flexor problem but we’ll monitor him over the next couple of days to see how he goes.

“There’s no major injury trauma there and the main thing is that it’s a precautionary step. We’re thankful that the Scottish medical team did what they did as it gives Chris a chance to be involved for us on Monday.” Although the club is still reeling from the loss of Kightly with a broken metatarsal suffered during a friendly game with Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday, manager Mick McCarthy has been given a positive prognosis on Wolves’ other casualties.

Kemp said: “Sylvan’s done very well after coming back from England under-21 duty with a minor tear to his calf. He has been in intensive rehabilitation ever since but has been improving on a day-to-day basis and should be able to go back into training over the next couple of days. We’ll then see how he reacts to that.” Wolves’ only other injury concern, winger Matt Jarvis, could feature as a replacement for Kightly in the remaining few games provided he is sufficiently over a niggling knee injury.

“Matt has had a nasty injury which unfortunately didn’t improve in time for him to be involved in the Nottingham Forest game,” Kemp said.

“But he’s been working really hard and has had a course of injections which have worked really well.

“We’re hopeful he’ll go back into training and put himself in contention for the Birmingham game.”