Former Wolves Women star Claire Hakeman has lauded Raul Jimenez for his performance against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
The Mexican came off the bench to replace the injured Diego Costa for Wanderers.
Costa has suffered a knee injury, of which the severity is not yet known.
Jimenez, 31, replaced him midway through the first-half, and ended up turning in his best performance of the season for Wolves.
Jimenez has struggled in several games this season.
But he was bang at it against Spurs, as if frustrated to have been left on the bench in favour of Costa.
Jimenez was brilliant in holding up the play and bringing those around him into the game.
He was everywhere, with Wolves sharing his touch map yesterday to confirm that.
And on Saturday after the game, Hakeman was full of praise for the 31-year-old.
She said on Matchday Live: “It was a superb second half. I think we rode our luck a couple of times, they hit the crossbar and we changed our defensive line-up and saw it through to get a clean sheet with a few good saves from Sa, but for me I think Jimenez was Man of the Match – someone who didn’t start the game.
“To have that attitude when coming on, and impact the game the way he did, that’s a credit to him. His body language was excellent.
“He cared so much and was everywhere. The energy levels were like something I haven’t seen from him, he looked like a new player.
“He impacted the game when he was given the ball, he held it up well and linked play – there was no rustiness evident at all today.”
That was Jimenez’s 16th appearance of the season and only his sixth Premier League start.
He may not have scored, but he was outstanding in the game. Fans have hailed him on social media, and Julen Lopetegui also showered praise on his number nine.
Raul Jimenez’s performance against Tottenham was inspired – he must now look to build on it
Jimenez actually looked like the player of a few years ago on Saturday.
It was just a brilliant performance – the kind of which most people probably would have expected from his opposite number Harry Kane.
It was just brilliant to seen him playing to such a high level again.
The challenge now will be for Jimenez to build on that display.
He has certainly been improving of late, so hopefully that will be the case and he can get back amongst the goals for Wolves.