Vitor Pereira will take charge of Wolves for the first time on Sunday afternoon, with his side travelling across the midlands to face Leicester City, as the team looks to end their winless Premier League run.
1 | Roll Call
New head coach Vitor Pereira confirmed Pablo Sarabia will not make the trip to Leicester. Pereira said in his press conference that “it’s not possible with his calf”. Rayan Ait-Nouri will also be absent, having received a red card following the full-time whistle against Ipswich Town. The Algerian returns to four yellows, so will be available to face Manchester United on Boxing Day. Joao Gomes does return to the fore, having sat out of the Ipswich game through suspension.
Leicester are sweating on the fitness of the goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, who was withdrawn a week ago with a groin injury. Wilfred Ndidi will be missing with a thigh injury, but Harry Winks returns and is contention. Boubakary Soumare is back from suspension and Odsonne Edouard is back in team training. Ricardo Pereira and Issahaku Fatawu remain absent with long-term injuries.
2 | The Stat Pack
Goals
- Matheus Cunha | 8
- Jamie Vardy | 6
Assists
- Jorgen Strand Larsen | 3
- Wilfred Ndidi | 4
Biggest win
- Fulham 1-4 Wolves | November 2024
- Leicester 4-0 Tranmere | August 2024
Cards
- Rayan Ait-Nouri | 5
- Facundo Buonanotte | 6
Clean sheets
- Jose Sa | 1
- Danny Ward | 2
3 | Journey to Sunday
This week has seen the dawn of a new era at Molineux as Pereira took over the Wolves reigns following the departure of Gary O’Neil as head coach. It was a 2-1 home defeat to Ipswich Town – in which the Tractor Boys found the net in the final minute of the match – which proved to be the catalyst to a change in management. That defeat was Wolves’ fourth on the bounce following the home loss to AFC Bournemouth which came before a 4-0 reverse to Everton and a 2-1 loss to West Ham United, both on the road. Wolves will be hoping the change in head coach will earn a first three points since the visit to Fulham almost a month ago.
Leicester received a ‘new manager bounce’ when they replaced Steve Cooper with former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy at the start of December. Having claimed 10 points from their opening 13 outings, Leicester turned to the Dutchman, whose arrival led to the Foxes claiming a 3-1 win over West Ham United – just one day after taking over the managerial role. Leicester have since drawn 2-2 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion, but come into this weekend’s match off the back of a 4-0 drubbing away to Newcastle United.
4 | A rare win in Leicestershire
Visits to Leicester have not been the kindest to Wolves during the last 25 years, with the Old Gold’s only victory since the turn of the Millennium coming all the way back in May 2007. Mick McCarthy’s men needed a victory to secure a play-off spot, but ensured a nightmare start as the Foxes struck just three minutes in. However, Wolves fought back to take a lead into the break as Seyi Olofinjana and Michael Kightly found the net, before putting the game to bed in the second half, when Gareth McAuley put the ball into his own net and Andy Keogh netted a penalty in the closing minutes.
Leicester | Logan, Stearman (Kenton 46), McAuley, Kisnorbo, Johansson, Newton, Hughes, Wesolowski, Tiatto (Porter 80), Hume, Fryatt (Cadamarteri 81).
Wolves | Murray, McNamara (Little 57), Breen, Craddock, Potter (Gleeson 88), Kightly, Olofinjana, Neill Collins, McIndoe, Bothroyd (Ward 62), Keogh.
