More concern for Gary O’Neil as another Wolves player picks up injury

Gary O’Neil has a lot to think about over the international break, with Wolves having had a tough start to the new season.

Wanderers have taken one point from their first three games, which is probably just about the haul fans expected when they first saw the fixture list come out.

Wolves had to go to Arsenal on the opening day and then hosted Chelsea at Molineux in the second game. They lost both, but then recorded a morale-boosting win over Burnley in the Carabao Cup.

Wolves could only draw 1-1 with Nottingham Forest last weekend.

So a tricky start, and it is going to be another tough month in September with the likes of Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Liverpool all coming up.

Key to picking up points will be keeping players fit – but there are now fresh concerns over one Wolves star.

Rayan Ait-Nouri set to miss Algeria match due to injury

It was claimed yesterday that Mario Lemina had withdrawn from the Gabon squad due to the midfielder picking up an injury.

Well now, it looks as though Rayan Ait-Nouri has also sustained an injury.

Algeria have AFCON qualifiers against Equatorial Guinea and Liberia. But the Wolves star looks as though he will not be playing any part.

La Gazette du Fennec reported previously that Ait-Nouri actually arrived at Algeria’s camp carrying an injury.

competition.dz claim Ait-Nouri will not feature against Equatorial Guinea. But he is actually in contention to face Liberia next week.

Manager Vladimir Petkovic does not want to take any risks with Ait-Nouri tomorrow night. He will be assessed ahead of the game with Liberia.

Wolves will be in close contact with Algeria

So Ait-Nouri appears to have picked up a knock of some kind and this will be a slight concern for Wolves.

There is no doubt Wolves’ medical team will be liaising with their Algerian counterparts to find out what the situation is and how best to manage the injury.

Wolves will be very keen for the £10,000-a-week player to avoid aggravating his injury. So if he is not 100% by the time that game with Liberia rolls around, then he surely will not be featuring.

Wolves have a very tough month of fixtures coming up and O’Neil needs Ait-Nouri fit and ready to go. He may not have started the new season too well, but the 23-year-old remains one of Wolves’ best players and it’ll be important for him to be available.