TWO NEW SUPERSTARS ARE BORN
RICHARLISON AND NEVES PUT ON STUNNING SHOW
This was a match in which two 21-yearolds took the keys to the Premier League door and unlocked potential breakthrough campaigns.
Richarlison began repaying his £44million fee with a pugnacious performance that brought two goals and nearly carried 10-man Everton to victory.
Wolves salvaged a draw thanks to Ruben Neves, who scored, assisted and assumed responsibility for pushing his newly-promoted side on in the face of defeat.
On its return to the big time after six years away, Molineux was treated to a contest that pulsed with vitality, incident and artistry. The pre-game fireworks display was outdone for sparkle by the action on the field.
At the centre of it all were Richarlison and Neves. Despite their tender years they were totems of their teams, playing with a courage it is impossible to learn.
Richarlison made the first move, showing why Marco silva had commissioned such a large transfer fee for his former charge at Watford, a forward who went 28 games in the second half of last season without scoring.
The only one of silva’s summer signings to start, Richarlison began as if offended by the surprise at his price. his response to not being given an early foul was to fly into a lunge himself, earning a yellow card, but his energy then won the free-kick from which Everton took the lead.
Wolves failed to clear and the ball fell to Richarlison, who scored with his first Everton shot, having failed to do so with any of his last 53 for Watford.
his second Everton attempt produced a goal too. There was a whiff of Thierry henry about it: the fluid movement off the wing, the foresight to see the chance, the cultured curl into the far corner. Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio dived in vain.
Richarlison also teed up a chance for Theo Walcott with a smart knock-down and won two further pressure-relieving free-kicks.
silva felt more should have been awarded and called for greater attention from officials. ‘it is the same movie i saw last season,’ he said. ‘it’s clear you have to protect, in the right way, the talented players.’
Everton’s manager sounded confident that Richarlison’s scoring will continue but called on teammates to help. ‘We have to be calm, we are talking about a player who is 21 years old,’ he said. ‘Of course he is a boy i know very well. he learns every day. he comes here to work very hard. But you have to support him. This match was Richarlison, next weekend i hope will be the others, Theo, Cenk Tosun, or Oumar Niasse. Because at a big club like us, not only one player has to get the result.’
Neves illustrated his importance to Wolves during their Championship title campaign and it was exciting to witness him continue that form into the top flight. The Portuguese midfielder scored six times from outside the area last season and when Phil Jagielka fouled Diogo Jota in the final third, expectancy swept the stadium.
Jagielka’s dismissal might be judged harsh but the combination of studs on ankle and proximity to the penalty area gave Craig Pawson enough reason to produce the straight red.
Amid the debate, Neves saw an opportunity to move the ball five yards ahead of where the offence took place and his free-kick was precise, taking full advantage of Jordan Pickford’s step to his right to curl the ball into the top lefthand corner.
Neves pointed to his temple in celebration, a reference to his hero Andrea Pirlo, whose autobiography was called, I Think Therefore I
Play. Like his italian idol, Neves demanded possession and tried to tease apart the opposition’s defence. he attempted 93 passes — 31 more than midfield partner Joao Moutinho — and had 111 touches, more than any other player on the pitch. it was his cross with 10 minutes to go that set up Raul Jimenez’s equaliser.
‘This comes from the task he has inside of the team,’ said manager Nuno Espirito santo. ‘We build from behind and pass and support. Ruben with his quality has to give us that. he will do so every moment of the game, in every circumstance — losing, winning, drawing.’
Neves shares those high standards. ‘My first goal in the Premier League, but the most important thing was the result,’ he said. ‘We didn’t want one point, we wanted three. We have to keep working.’
DEBUT DAZZLERS: JONNY OTTO, on loan from Atletico Madrid, was a lively presence at left wing-back for Wolves. RICHARLISON had a debut to remember for Everton.
WOLVES (3-4-3): Patricio 6.5; Bennett 7, Coady 7, Boly 6.5; Doherty 7.5, Moutinho 6.5 (Gibbs-White 85), NEVES 9, Jonny 7.5 (Vinagre 76); Jota 7, Jimenez 7.5, Costa 6 (Bonatini 71, 6). Subs not used: Ruddy, Enobakhare, Saiss, Hause. Scorers: Neves 44, Jimenez 80. Booked: None.
Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo 7.5. EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Pickford 6.5; Coleman 7, Keane 7, Jagielka 4, Baines 7; Gueye 7, Schneiderlin 6; Walcott 6, Sigurdsson 6 (Holgate 43, 7), Richarlison 8.5 (Digne 86); Tosun 6.5 (Niasse 81). Subs not used: Stekelenburg, Ramirez, Davies, CalvertLewin. Scorer: Richarlison 17, 67. Booked: Richarlison. Sent off: Jagielka.
Manager: Marco Silva 7.5. Referee: Craig Pawson 6.
Attendance: 31,231.