Under-fire Wolves manager Gary O’Neil has stripped midfielder Mario Lemina of the captaincy ahead of the Blues’ visit to Molineux on Saturday.
Gabon international Lemina, 31, was involved in a clash with West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen at the end of Monday’s game at the London Stadium, which ended 2-1 to the Hammers.
Lemina apologised earlier in the week, but, speaking at his pre-match press conference, O’Neil revealed that Nelson Semedo will be wearing the armband from now on.
"The discussions with Mario were good,” hesaid. "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.
"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.”
O’Neil added: "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.”
O’Neil, whose side are 19th in the Premier League level on points with the Blues but one place behind on goal difference, says his team will need to show the right mindset in order to beat Town and end their three-game winless run on Saturday.
"We have to find our own top level of focus to make sure that we come out on top,” he said. "Of course, we have the ability and the quality here to cause Ipswich big problems tomorrow. But it will need more than just ability and quality, it will need a real determination, focus, togetherness and willingness to suffer in moments if we have to.
"Then, like we were able to against Southampton and Fulham [Wolves’ only two wins this season], people will remember the great goals and the fantastic football at Fulham, but there was digging in and defending well together in there, which was important to us, and we'll need all of that again tomorrow.”
He added: "We need to make sure that we’re as together and we’re as ready to fight, and we’re as humble and we pay Ipswich real respect, because they're a good side with a good coach.
"They signed some fantastic players, Liam Delap’s having a fantastic season up front, looks a real threat, always against big centre big, strong centre-backs. That's the first thing, a real respect from us towards Ipswich.
"What that respect should raise is our focus and our level. I don't mean we stand off them and we let them have their way, what I mean is we turn up tomorrow as if we’re playing a real top side and we need to be at our very, very best, and that’s so important for the group tomorrow.
"Winning games in the Premier League is very rarely comfortable. There's going to be moments tomorrow where we're going to need to dig in and fight and be together, and we'll have to defend at stages, and then when we do get our moments in the game, we need to use the quality that we have to make the difference.”
Regarding the Molineux support, with many fans believing he should have been relieved of his duties before now, O’Neil added: "Results are the thing that really drive the relationship with the fans. Let’s be honest, last year when I came in, the reason that we were able to connect so well was because we beat Man City, Chelsea twice and Tottenham, and had some fantastic wins, four goals away at Brentford. So that helps.
"Of course, results this season have been nowhere near that, so the relationship between me and the fans is obviously going to take a take a hit, and it’s just part and parcel of it.
"My feeling towards them is exactly the same. I love standing there in front of them. I love representing their football club. I'm sure every manager is, but I'm giving everything to them to try and help this group be as good as it can be.
"What I am proud of is how well they've stuck with the players, because I've never seen them after a game not be right behind the players still, which is really important. The players appreciate that, I know, and they're keen to do the supporters justice tomorrow and next week at Leicester, and moving on through the season.”
Regarding injuries, keeper Jose Sa has been ruled out with a shoulder problem having also missed the West Ham match. England keeper Sam Johnstone will once again deputise.
Winger Pablo Sarabia remains sidelined with a calf issue, while midfielder Boubacar Traore is still out with a knee problem.
Centre-half Yerson Mosquera, winger Enso Gonzalez and striker Sasa Kalajdzic are all long-terms absentees, also due to knee problems.