Yesterday was not a good day for Wolves.
The 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park was hugely disappointing given how encouraging the win over Everton was.
The team strangely sat back to allow the Eagles to attack.
There was very little attacking threat from Wolves, with Raul Jimenez and Hwang Hee-chan both having off days.
Perhaps one of the only positives of the day from a Wolves perspective was the performance of Rayan Ait-Nouri.
The Frenchman was starting his third successive game in the Premier League, with Fernando Marcal still out injured.
It was another bright display from the 20-year-old, who was probably Wolves’ best attacking player at Selhurst Park.
Perhaps the fact he scored on his debut against Palace last season was in the back of his mind.
He really has given a great account of himself while Marcal has been on the sidelines.
He is surely now ahead of his South American teammate in the pecking order.
Lage has certainly been pleased with him of late. Earlier this week he said of the youngster (via Vavel): “We are happy with him. The quality he has, not just now, but also for the past, the way he plays in an offensive way.
“We talk with him and we work with him, if he’s more consistent and if he wins more defensive duels, he can be a top player.”
And so promising is Ait-Nouri looking, that he might actually give Jonny Castro Otto a hard time when the Spaniard returns from his injury.
Wolves onto a winner with Ait-Nouri
Ait-Nouri was fantastic in pre-season for Wolves, and it was a bit of a surprise that he started the season behind Marcal in the pecking order.
At the moment, it’s as though Ait-Nouri is determined to show Lage was wrong to overlook him after that impressive pre-season he had.
There is huge potential with him, and should he carry on this trajectory, then he could even keep Jonny on the sidelines.
Jonny is still out for another couple of months, as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.
After his last knee injury, we went straight back into the starting XI against Leicester City in February.
By the time he’s ready for selection again though, it might not be so easy for the 27-year-old.