Leicester City are back in action this weekend as they host Wolves in a relegation six-pointer at the King Power Stadium.
The game is massive in the context of the season as Leicester can pull eight points clear of their 19th-place opponents with a win.
Ruud van Nistelrooy’s men were heavily beaten by Newcastle United last time out, though the Foxes have avoided defeat against Wolves in seven of their last eight meetings.
Ahead of the clash, van Nistelrooy confirmed Harry Winks is fit and available after missing the previous four matches while goalkeeper Mads Hermansen is still a doubt.
The Dutchman will hope he has his Danish shot-stopper to call on, meanwhile, there is another player the Leicester manager must deploy to exploit their opponent’s weakness.
Facundo Buonanotte can have a field day against Matt Doherty
Wolves could have a new manager bounce heading into this one after sacking Gary O’Neil and replacing him with Portuguese boss Vitor Pereira.
The 56-year-old arrives with the experience of managing 12 different clubs across various countries, amassing a respectable win percentage of 53%.
Pereira is likely to deploy a 4-3-3 system as Wolves are light on options defensively, although he won’t have Rayan Ait-Nouri to call upon after he earned a one-match ban against Ipswich Town.
Ait-Nouri is the first-choice left-back, and while he isn’t the strongest at defending, he’s more comfortable on the left than right-footed Matt Doherty is.
Doherty is the likely replacement for the Algerian, though his inclusion won’t fill Wolves with confidence, as he’s cost the visitors multiple times this season.
The Republic of Ireland star has found it difficult to defend against inverted wingers and he was at fault for Harvey Barnes’ winning goal earlier in the campaign, allowing the Englishman to cut inside and bend one into the top corner.
The 31-year-old is the sort of player the tricky Facundo Buonanotte could have a field day against, with the Argentine capable of turning him inside out with his pace and dribbling.
Indeed, after leaving him out against Newcastle, van Nistelrooy must unleash Buonanotte against Wolves.
Buonanotte’s impressive Leicester loan in numbers
Leicester would love to sign Buonanotte permanently however, the 19-year-old is unattainable as Brighton want him back at the end of the season.
For now, though, the supporters can watch him dazzle in the Premier League, utilising his incredible vision and passing range to devastating effect.
Interestingly, the ‘exciting’ Buonanotte is statistically similar to Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, according to FBref, and this just shows what a bright future he has.
| Facundo Buonanotte’s Premier League 2024/25 stats | Statistic |
| Games | 13 |
| Goals | 4 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Progressive passes per 90 | 3.25 |
| Successful take-ons per 90 | 1.77 |
| Progressive carries per 90 | 2.66 |
Despite not turning 20 till the end of this month, the silky Argentine is defying expectations in England’s top flight and holding his own as an attacking force.