Is Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri injured this weekend? Premier League injury update

Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri
Wolves defender Rayan Ait-Nouri is an injury worry (Image credit: Getty Images)

Wolves have a change of manager and hopefully some fresh impetus heading into matchweek 17.

Gary O'Neil is out and in comes Vitor Pereira, tasked with steering the Wanderers clear of the Premier League's relegation places. Wolves have picked up just nine points all season, recording a timid two wins.

But one player who continues to impress is defender Rayan Ait-Nouri, with WhoScored stating the 23-year-old has an average rating of 6.86 this term. Will he feature against Leicester City this weekend?

Is Rayan Ait-Nouri available for Wolves this weekend?

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 09: Rayan Ait-Nouri of Wolverhampton Wanderers runs with the ball during the Premier League match between West Ham United FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers FC at London Stadium on December 09, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Jack Thomas - WWFC/Wolves via Getty Images)

Rayan Ait-Nouri has six goal contributions to his name this season (Image credit: Getty Images)

Ait-Nouri will miss Sunday's clash with Leicester City after he was sent off in the defeat against Ipswich Town. The Algerian was already set to miss the clash with the Foxes after picking up his fifth yellow of the season, but is now suspended after his dismissal.

Upon his return to the side, he will then have to again watch himself with neither of his previous cautions counting towards the yellow card suspension threshold.

Wolves vs Manchester City

Wolves will hope Vitor Pereira can help them survive this season (Image credit: Getty Images)

Asked about it at full time, former boss O'Neil said: "I haven't seen it (Ait-Nouri’s outburst). I have just been told he received a second yellow. I spoke to him during the game.

"We are under a lot of pressure. We are trying to push the group beyond our level and you can't get yourself in trouble. We are stretched as it is. We need Rayan and now we don't have him. I will deal with that internally. I understand the players being emotional but we have to keep control better."

Ait-Nouri will be a huge miss for Wolves given his attacking threat and at 23, it begs the question how much longer he may be at Molineux all together. Manchester United and Tottenham have previously expressed an interest in him.

Wolves and Leicester City lock horns in the Premier League this weekend, with the clash set to kick off at 14:00 GMT.

Matthew Holt

Matthew is a Freelance Journalist and has racked up bylines for Manchester United, Manchester Evening News, GOAL and SPORTbible to name a few. A long-term sufferer of Scunthorpe United, he currently resides in the north-west after escaping the smog of North Lincolnshire.