Rayan Ait-Nouri had to be held back at full-time after Wolves’ 2-1 defeat by Ipswich as tempers flared at Molineux.
Ipswich star Wes Burns had his hand on Ait-Nouri’s neck after the match, with the pair having clashed during the game.
Craig Dawson restrained Ait-Nouri, who was red carded, and lifted him off the ground to carry him away from the tumult before the wing-back was forced down the tunnel.
Wolves team-mate Matheus Cunha also had to be held back as a large crowd of players and staff gathered at one edge of the pitch.
Ait-Nouri had already been suspended for Wolves’ upcoming match against Leicester after picking up a fifth yellow card of the season. He was then given a second yellow after full time due to his involvement in the tempestuous scenes.
Jack Taylor had headed in a 94th-minute winner for the visitors after Matheus Cunha’s goal had cancelled out Matt Doherty’s early own goal.
Ipswich’s Wes Burns had his hand on Rayan Ait-Nouri’s neck after Wolves’ 2-1 defeat at home
Craig Dawson carried away Ait-Nouri as tempers flared between the sides at full time
Wolves are 19th in the Premier League table and remain four points from safety, with the pressure growing on manager Gary O’Neil.
The fracas marks another high-profile incident for Wolves, who saw Mario Lemina scrap with Jarrod Bowen after their 2-1 defeat at West Ham on Monday night.
O’Neil subsequently stripped Lemina of the captaincy coming into this crucial relegation clash against Ipswich.
Nelson Semedo took the armband although Lemina still started the match against the Tractor Boys.
The midfielder had wrestled opposite number Bowen to the ground when the pair went to shake hands as tempers boiled over after West Ham’s victory at the London Stadium.
Lemina apologised earlier in the week but boss O’Neil revealed Semedo would take the armband going forward.
O’Neil said at his pre-match press conference: ‘The discussions with Mario were good. We get on very, very well.
‘He’s been a big part of what we’ve been able to do here and we have a large amount of respect for each other. Sometimes you can come out of these discussions in a really good spot and I think that we have.
‘I have a lot of respect for Mario and what he’s still going to be able to do for us.
Multiple players and members of staff were seen amid the fracas at Molineux
Ait-Nouri had been red carded and will miss Wolves’ next match against Leicester City
Mario Lemina was stripped of the captaincy after he barged over Jarrod Bowen on Monday
‘When we get the best out of him on the pitch, his level is so high and he’s still going to play a big part for us which he’s extremely keen to do.
‘He’ll still be around the senior group that leads the team, but at this moment we feel it’s best for Nelson to lead the group.
‘The most important thing is us getting the best out of everybody – getting the best out of Mario Lemina week in, week out, the same for Nelson and the rest of the group.
‘We dealt with it earlier in the week and the focus since has been purely on Ipswich, Mario’s ready, Nelson’s ready and the rest of the players are ready.’
The defeat by Ipswich piles more pressure on O’Neil, who was kept in charge after the loss to West Ham despite that encounter being dubbed ‘El Sackico’ due to his and Julen Lopetegui’s precarious situations.
Mail Sport revealed that Wolves held tentative talks with former Chelsea boss Graham Potter as far back as November, though these did not progress.
Potter was not the only candidate Wolves considered, with former boss David Moyes also believed to have been in their thoughts. But – for now at last – O’Neil continues in post and has the immediate support of the Molineux hierarchy.
The club are aiming to invest in January to improve the squad, particularly in defence as Wolves have conceded a league-high 40 goals.
Gary O’Neil held his face in his hands as he watched his side slip to another defeat
Commenting on his future earlier this month, O’Neil said: ‘I am not concerned about my future one bit, only the club’s future. I knew the size of the task when I took over and since then it’s got even more difficult with players we’ve lost.’
Wolves have now lost four matches on the trot to dampen what had been a spell of decent form, which saw them go unebaten in the four matches prior and thrash Fulham 4-1.
As for Ipswich, a first win in five games means they are only a point off 17th-placed Crystal Palace.
Kieran Mckennna saw his side pick up a precious second win of the season at Molineux, their only other three-point haul coming against Tottenham in early November.
More to follow.
