“In my opinion”- Troy Deeney says Wolves have an ‘excellent footballer’ who’d be even harder to replace than Matheus Cunha
Wolves took a significant step towards Premier League survival on Saturday, with Troy Deeney left thoroughly impressed by one of their standout players.
With a crucial 2-1 victory at Portman Road, Wolves are now 12 points clear of the relegation zone, securing their most important result of the season.
Despite Ipswich taking the lead through Liam Delap, Wolves showed resilience, responding with goals from Pablo Sarabia and Jorgen Strand Larsen to clinch the win.
Ipswich had an opportunity to close the gap to just six points, but Wolves’ determined performance saw them claim all three points.
While Strand Larsen earned praise for his fourth goal in three games, it was Joao Gomes who stole the spotlight, according to Deeney.
Deeney was full of admiration for Gomes after Wolves’ victory over Ipswich, especially after a standout week for the midfielder.
Gomes had signed a new contract with Wolves on Tuesday, which caught some by surprise, and then played a pivotal role in their 1-0 win over West Ham United that same night.
Against Ipswich, Gomes started once again and impressed in midfield, and Deeney had no doubt that he was the best player on the pitch.
Deeney selected Gomes for his BBC Sport Premier League Team of the Week, saying, “He was the best player on the pitch by a country mile.
Wolves might be concerned about losing Matheus Cunha, but for me, Gomes is the one they should be worried about. He will be the harder player to replace.”
Deeney continued, praising Gomes’ second-half performance when Wolves were trailing 1-0: “He just took control, saying ‘don’t worry guys, give me the ball, watch what I can do.’”
Statistics show Gomes had a solid performance, completing 45 of 51 passes in the match.
Fortunately for Wolves, it seems highly unlikely that Gomes will leave the club this summer.
His new contract, which was signed without a release clause—unlike Cunha’s—ensures Wolves can demand a high asking price to ward off potential suitors.
It’s expected that Gomes will remain at Molineux for at least another year, providing a significant boost for the club as he continues to develop into one of the Premier League’s top midfielders.
