From superb solo runs to pinpoint long balls – Here are the very finest since 2018
Every football fan’s favourite thing is a goal, but what about those where the work is done before the finish? A great assist can come from anywhere and everywhere but unlike excellent goals, can be easily forgotten.
This list will serve as a refresher of the finest assists in our 7 seasons in the Premier League from Nuno through to Edwards.
Honourable mentions:
After embarking on a journey of watching each and every Wolves goal in this timeframe, narrowing this list down to 10 was borderline impossible after an initial list of 45 ‘good’ assists. These are a few of the best to miss out:
Pedro Neto vs Manchester City – 2023/2024
This goal couldn’t be included due to it being an own goal and not officially being deemed Pedro Neto’s assist.
Marshall Munetsi vs Everton – 2025/26
Where Munetsi pulled this pass across the box from I will never know but it is perfectly weighted for Hwang Hee-chan to finish, probably the most impressive thing Wolves mustered up before the New Year which unfortunately doesn’t say much.
Jorgen Strand Larsen vs Newcastle – 2024/25
This assist should go down as Joao Gomes’ really, Larsen’s pass across the penalty area was exquisitely left by the Brazilian to leave Lemina with an easy goal behind him.
Adama Traore vs Aston Villa – 2019/2020
A classic Adama run from deep, leaving Douglas Luiz for dead before setting up Raul for an important second against the Villa.
Pedro Neto vs West Ham – 2020/2021
The Portuguese is not necessarily known for his passing range but his arrowed ball over to Fabio Silva was one of his very best assists.
Raul Jimenez vs Braga – 2019/2020
After receiving the ball 30 yards from goal and driving forward, the number 9 spotted a smart run from Doherty before picking him out perfectly on a rainy night in Braga.
Toti Gomes vs Newcastle – 2023/2024
A centre back showing flair and skill before slotting a pass inside to a forward? Yes please, a special Molineux goal from Hwang and a special piece of skill and determination from Toti in the build-up.
10 – Daniel Podence vs Manchester City (2020/2021)
As hard as I tried to leave this goal out, I simply had to cave in. The final cross is a good one and well headed in by Jimenez but rewinding 3 seconds earlier reveals a naughty nutmeg on Kevin De Bruyne that needs to be watched over and over again. Wolves would lose this game to City 1-3 but it’s a delightful clip. Stay clever, keep ‘em together Kevin.
9 – Helder Costa vs Newcastle United (2018/2019)
I doubt anyone had money on Costa’s name to be in this list but his cross to find Diogo Jota is brilliant. Out on the right wing, he cuts inside onto his favoured left foot and clips a gorgeous ball into the box for Jota to chest down and finish. This game is remembered for Doherty’s winner at the death but the opening goal is definitely worth a place here.
8 – Ruben Neves vs Leicester City (2018/2019)
You simply cannot give Neves the time and space to pick a pass the way Leicester did in the famous seven-goal-thriller. After taking the ball down on the edge of his own box, Neves lifts his head up and sets himself before launching a looping 45-yard pass onto Diogo Jota’s chest for the third Wolves goal of the match. Neves would play a major role in the fourth too with another perfect pass in the build-up to Jota’s 93rd minute winner on a memorable Molineux win. Unsurprisingly, this is not Neves’ only inclusion in this list.
7 – Pedro Neto vs Tottenham Hotspur (2023/2024)
There were plenty of Neto assists to choose from but the pick of the bunch for me came in our 2-1 win in the capital. The attack began from a Spurs corner before Neto set off at lightning pace. From one box to another, he cuts back effectively before picking Joao Gomes out to finish inside the box. Pedro Neto hit his best form in his final season with the club when we saw the perfect culmination of speed, power and consistent quality in his final ball. The winger was providing an assist every 124 minutes which is genuinely mind-boggling. For context, Kevin De Bruyne provided a league assist every 140 minutes in his record equalling season.
6 – Mario Lemina vs Fulham (2024/25)
This is a wonderful goal all-round but the accuracy of Lemina’s long ball to Matheus Cunha is something special. The weight of the lob and the way the ball drops between the Fulham defenders and onto Cunha’s foot is extremely satisfying even before the finish. This goal may be somewhat overshadowed by the forward’s second goal in this game but his first was made by a cracking Lemina pass.
5 – Diogo Jota vs Tottenham Hotspur (2019/2020)
A thrilling 3-2 win which featured an outstanding goal, fit of winning any match of football, let alone one that sent us within a win of the Champions League places. After coming from behind twice, the ball broke for Jota with his back to goal 20 yards inside our half. The forward chested the ball down before a brilliant flick the opposite direction to leave Lucas Moura for dead. One flick and the pitch opened up for him to drive forward in his usual fashion, covering half the pitch on his journey forward. Jimenez was up in support and Jota weighted a perfect pass into the Mexican, who cut inside and slammed the ball into the top corner to send the away end into a frenzy. One of my personal favourite Wolves matches and one of countless fantastic performances we had the pleasure of watching from our legendary number 18, Diogo Jota.
4 – Tommy Doyle vs Brighton (2024/2025)
An assist that is somewhat difficult to rank among solo runs and technical brilliance but one that needed a place on this list. With the clock ticking into the third minute of additional time and trailing by a goal on the coast, Wolves pushed men forward in pursuit of an equaliser against Brighton. However, when the ball was won back by the home side, Doyle found himself with a tall order of defending on his own against four Brighton players. A desperate four-on-one situation was unfolding until Doyle crucially intercepted the pass to keep Wolves’ miniscule hopes alive. He went one better by sending a long ball up to Matheus Cunha who drove into the penalty area and sent the travelling fans bonkers after his deflected effort found a way in. A heroic moment that resulted in an assist, Doyle saved Wolves at one end and sent them on their way towards the other.
3 – Ruben Neves vs Brighton (2021/2022)
Back-to-back Brighton away days which is surprising considering our woeful record against them but this pass was simply stunning from our Portuguese maestro. To call it inch-perfect would not do it justice, his clipped ball to Romain Saiss was millimetre-perfect to give us our only win at the Amex Stadium since returning to the Premier League. A poor corner was cleared as far as Neves who stood just outside the box. He took one touch to control before caressing a delicate chip into the box, begging to be volleyed in by Saiss. Wolves were enjoying a technical master at work and this goal summed up his vision and execution to a tee.
2 – Ruben Neves vs Everton (2019/2020)
Not too dissimilar to his assist against Leicester earlier in this list but the same Neves and Jota combination goes six places better to finish as a runner-up this time. Our number eight tackled well to win possession back deep inside the Wolves half before pushing forward and spraying a delightful pass to the opposite side of the pitch, the perfect showcase of his defensive and creative qualities. The ball seemed to have a magnetic attraction to Jota’s chest if it came from the boot of Ruben Neves. It was an unbelievable pass with a flat, floated trajectory which was taken down and rifled into the near post brilliantly. Diogo Jota’s final goal in a Wolves shirt and, in my opinion, just edges the other two in this list.
1 – Adama Traore (2020/2021)
What an assist. A breath taking run which began with the Spaniard picking up the ball on the edge of our box. A big forward touch and explosive acceleration had Coufal beaten before he hurdled a sliding challenge from Mark Noble and took the ball into the West Ham half. Out on the left wing, three men tracked him as he faked going inside before another big touch to take the ball on the outside, past Coufal again. The run is outstanding and the cross with his left is hit with power and pinpoint accuracy to find the head of Leander Dendoncker. This goal does not get the attention it deserves, maybe due to us being 3-0 down at the time but for me, our best assist since promotion and worthy of topping the list.
