Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
RUBEN EYES GOAL CHART
RUBEN NEVES’S latest wonder goal stunned Molineux and his manager Bruno Lage – but it still doesn’t rank as his best.
The Portuguese midfielder earned a round of applause from Lage after his majestic finish – a delicate lob from the edge of area – rounded off a cosy 4-0 win over Watford on Thursday night.
Neves (above) rated it in his top three strikes – but it hasn’t displaced the No.1.
Asked where it ranked, Neves said: “It’s different from the ones I normally score, so it will definitely go into my top three.
“It was about reading the game, thinking fast and it went well. My first idea was to go for the shot but the ball was bouncing about.
“As soon as I controlled it, I thought about it. My second touch prepared it for the chip and as soon as I had the ball in that kind of space I thought I’d go for it.
“It’s hard for keepers, that one. They aren’t expecting it. But it’s still not my No.1 – that was against Derby.”
Neves announced himself as a rising star in English football in 2018 when he thumped a gorgeous 35-yarder into the net on the volley against the Rams in the Championship.
Fast-forward four years and Wolves fans will be hoping that a club contract birthday trend is continued today when Neves turns 25.
Portuguese pal Pedro Neto announced a new long-term contract on his birthday last week. Asked if he would follow suit, ex-Porto man Neves, whose current deal runs to the summer of
2024, smiled: “I don’t know. We’re having a great season. I’m not thinking about that at the moment.”
Lage said: “I didn’t know Ruben before I came here. It’s a pleasure to coach him.
“In an interview for the club he said that if he tries 10 shots and misses one I will put him under pressure to score that other one.
“And he said that’s the pressure he wants. He wants to improve. He’s an amazing guy, a top player.”
Wolves head into today’s clash at Goodison Park, having been in action in midweek while their opponents have had almost a whole week to prepare.
That also happened at West Ham recently. But
Lage added: “If we have three days between the games, you don’t feel the difference. With two, sometimes you feel it.
“But if you want to play to reach the Europa League, you have to play these games on Thursday.
“I also don’t forget that during December we played only once per week. Other teams were playing over Christmas and we didn’t.
“So, fair or not fair isn’t really the issue.
“We need to go to
Everton, and with and without the ball, we need to be compact. Forty-three points should give us the confidence and courage to play how we want to play.”