Wolves predicted lineup vs Leicester - Premier League
Wolves welcome Leicester to Molineux on Sunday afternoon for a reversal of the' opening match of the season back in August - that feels like a lifetime ago!
Back in the hazy days of summer, Bruno Lage's debut month in the dugout was defined by his side's inability to take chances, racking up an expected goals (xG) tally of 4.3 (per FBref) from his first trio of games but zero actual goals and as many points.
A more conservative approach and a sizeable swing of good fortune in Wolves' favour - the club's opponents have scored four non-penalty goals against them from an xG of 15.8 in the last three months - has papered over that unlucky start to leave Wolves chasing the Champions League.
Here's the XI that Lage may deploy to continue their pursuit of Europe.
1. Goalkeeper & defenders
Jose Sa (GK) - One more shutout would match Wolves' tally of clean sheets from the entirety of last season (ten) with more than a dozen games still to play.
Max Kilman (CB) - "I said to myself that this guy cannot be a player," was Sa's honest first impression after their first training session together. "I eat my words. He is amazing and doing an amazing season."
Conor Coady (CB) - Current Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers handed the Wolves skipper his senior debut while the pair were at Liverpool, but also sanctioned his sale to Huddersfield in 2014.
Romain Saiss (CB) - The frequent conduit between defence and midfield is the only member of the Wolves rearguard that has failed to start every league game this term (missing two to the Africa Cup of Nations).
2. Midfielders & wing-backs
Nelson Semedo (RWB) - Left on the bench for the opening day defeat to Leicester, the former Barcelona wingback has started 21 of the subsequent 22 Premier League matches.
Leander Dendoncker (CM) - A 'good example of what a teammate should be' in the words of his gushing manager.
Ruben Neves (CM) - Ranked among the ten best defensive midfielders in world football at the moment, Neves may not have even peaked aged just 24.
Joao Moutinho (CM) - A fitness doubt coming into the contest, the 35-year-old only missed five league games across the previous three seasons before being sidelined for the past two.
Rayan Ait-Nouri (LWB) - Despite starting less than half the available league games, the 20-year-old Frenchman has attempted more tackles than any other teammate, averaging more than four per 90 (according to FBref).
3. Forwards
Raul Jimenez (ST) - Not only did Jimenez score on his last outing, but he fired off more shots on target (three) than he has in any top flight encounter since November 2019.
Daniel Podence (ST) - One of eight Portuguese players to have started a Premier League game for Wolves this season, the same number which the nation's giants Benfica can boast.