Lemina decision could prove crucial in survival fight

Gary O'Neil's decision to replace Mario Lemina with Nelson Semedo showed he is still ready to make the big calls under pressure.

The news was delivered in a quite understated manner during his press conference on Friday, in the middle of an answer about the fall out of Monday's 2-1 defeat at West Ham.

Semedo is well respected and is less emotional than Lemina, who clashed with West Ham's Jarrod Bowen and Wolves assistant Shaun Derry following the final whistle, and is seen as a good fit for the armband.

O'Neil said he and Lemina were in a good place after their discussions earlier this week and without the additional pressure of the captaincy the midfielder should be able focus on his own game.

That is crucial for the visit of Ipswich which could give O'Neil much-needed respite from the growing pressure.

Molineux has the capacity to turn toxic if the performance and result is not positive and being able to free Lemina from any restrictions could prove decisive in the battle to stay up.