Wolves extended their winless league run to five games as they lost 2-1 to Everton at Molineux. Goals from Alex Iwobi and Michael Keane in each half won the game for the Toffees, despite Ruben Neves’ close range equaliser in the 14th minute. Nuno’s side have now won just two of their last 11 league games.
Rui Patricio
Couldn’t do much to stop either goal, but didn’t have much to do aside from pick the ball out of his net either. Only faced three shots on target, and comfortably saved Iwobi’s effort just after Neves’ goal. Has no clean sheet in 12 games, but that’s more down to the defence in front of him. 6/10.
Nelson Semedo
Is slowly finding his feet in a Wolves shirt and backed up a solid performance against Crystal Palace with an ok one here. Looked solid going forward during Wolves’ dominant stages halfway through the first period and had the beating of Godfrey, but still looks defensively susceptible. Was nowhere to be seen as Digne set up Iwobi’s opener. 6/10.
Conor Coady
Had very little to do, especially directly, but as usual his distribution was sound. Hasn’t personally struggled as many expected him to do in a back four, but the results and clean sheets haven’t followed the tactical change. Will be desperate to lead his team to a derby win on Saturday. 6/10.
Romain Saiss
Like his defensive partner, he had to do very little with Everton’s use of a false nine causing Wolves’ centre-backs little problems. Looked a threat from set-pieces as usual but was outjumped by Keane for Everton’s winner. Not his finest game, but not his worst either. 6/10.
Rayan Ait-Nouri
Enjoyed his best Wolves performance since his debut against Crystal Palace in October. Looked good going forward, kept Iwobi quiet down the right flank and picked up a brilliant assist for Neves’ goal when he took on his man, looked up and drilled an unstoppable ball across the face of goal. Wolves’ best player. 8/10.
Ruben Neves
Continued his recent good form and picked up his first Wolves goal from inside the box in open play. Controlled Ait-Nouri’s fierce ball well to fire past Pickford, and could have had more when his Derby-esque strike flew just over, as well as hitting the bar from a late free-kick. Controlled the midfield well against the physicality of Doucoure, who he has struggled against in the past. 8/10.
Joao Moutinho
Was pretty anonymous as the game passed him by. Has regularly been Wolves’ quieter midfielder and has let Neves do his thing, but took that to a new level tonight. Was withdrawn for Vitinha on 86 minutes, a substitution that really should have been made earlier. 5/10.
Leander Dendoncker
Wolves have missed him, badly. Without Dendoncker’s presence, Wanderers lost the box-to-box midfielder who would pop up in the box every now and again and looked worse for it. All of that was back in action tonight, but the Belgian really needs to end his goal drought soon. Scuffed two decent chances and now hasn’t scored in 23 games for club and country. With Jimenez, Traore and Podence missing, Wolves really needed him to step up. 6/10.
Morgan Gibbs-White
Made his first Wolves start for nigh on 11 months, but failed to impress in the way he did in six Swansea appearances. Gibbs-White received the ball in decent areas but was almost always outmuscled, dispossessed or giving possession away with a stray pass. In what is admittedly a miniscule sample size, Gibbs-White has done nothing special to show that he is different from the player who disappointing in a bit-part role last year. 5/10.
Fabio Silva
It’s not often you feel sorry for a professional footballer, but Silva looks so far out of his depth at Premier League level that it’s hard not to feel sympathetic. The 18-year-old quite evidently will be a good player one day, but that day has not arrived yet. Had one good chance to put Wolves ahead that was well saved by Pickford, but his hold-up play and passing was poor throughout. His performance was epitomised just before he was withdrawn when he was racing Ben Godfrey to a loose ball and the Everton man breezed past him. Needs to be taken out of the limelight, for his own sake. 4/10.
Pedro Neto
As usual, he provided Wolves’ biggest attacking threat. Neto drove at the Everton defence at every opportunity, and often escaped multiple defenders in a Traore-esque manner. Probably held onto the ball for too long on a couple of occasions, but was carrying Wolves’ attack on his back with the ineffective Silva and Gibbs-White around him. Having picked up a knock after being fouled by Doucoure, Wolves will be praying he is fit to face West Brom on Saturday. 7/10.
Ki-Jana Hoever
Was strangely dumped in the right-wing role while Wolves were looking to take the lead, but did ok in the circumstances. Has always looked impressive in limited minutes in gold and black. 6/10.
Patrick Cutrone
Made his first Premier League appearance since a 2-1 win at Carrow Road in December 2019. Took up the right positions but didn’t receive the ball too often. Considering Silva’s form, he should start in the derby on Saturday. 6/10.
Vitinha
Came on too late to make a real impact. N/A.
James Wynn is part of the Talking Wolves editorial team – you can follow him on Twitter here.