Wolves manager Rob Edwards has commended Joao Gomes for his inspiring pre-match speech, which led to the midfielder scoring his first goal in a year.
The Brazilian international was brought back into the lineup and netted his first goal since February 2025 during Friday’s 2-0 victory against Aston Villa.
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After a recent dip in performance that resulted in him being benched this month, Gomes delivered a standout man-of-the-match performance following Edwards’ motivating talk before the game.
“He really stepped up,” Edwards remarked.
“I think he’s an exceptional player, and since our arrival, he has shown glimpses of his quality and a lot of positive moments.
“However, it hasn’t been easy for him, especially in a team that has faced challenges. When results aren’t coming, it can be tough, and you might start to question your big move.”
“I completely understand that, but he truly stepped up the other night, and that’s the standard we expect from him consistently.”
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“Performing like that will only benefit him in the future.”
This victory marked only Wolves’ second win of the season in the Premier League, and they are set to face Liverpool on Tuesday.
This match kicks off a double header with the champions, who will also visit Molineux in the FA Cup fifth round on Friday.
“While I can talk endlessly about the players performing, competing, and giving their all, we operate in a results-driven industry, where people pay attention only if you’re winning,” Edwards stated.
“Achieving a performance like that [on Friday] against a team like Villa highlights what I’ve been saying, and maybe it will resonate more with people now.
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“The players are increasingly receiving affirmation of their performance levels and the effort they’ve been putting in since we first arrived, and the evidence of improvement is unmistakable.
“There’s still much work to do, but we’ve made significant progress.”