Wolves will hope to kick on from their win against Southampton after the November international break.
Pressure was momentarily relieved from Gary O’Neil as the Old Gold recorded their first win of the season against the Saints.
While collecting a vital three points was a positive, the victory represented Wolves’ first in the Premier League in over six months, telling of the work O’Neil still has to do.
For now, the manager will gather his thoughts amid the November international break, where several of his key players will represent their nations.
- READ MORE: Gary O’Neil’s ‘crazy decision’ that surprised many actually paid off in Wolves win vs Southampton
Wolves captain Mario Lemina earns high praise
The win against Southampton is still fresh in Wolves’ mind, with the feeling of victory something that has been longed for for some time at Molineux.
Against the Saints, Matheus Cunha was undoubtedly the star of the show, scoring and assisting to take matters into his own hands.
While the Brazilian has rightfully been praised heavily for his contribution, it’s another player who was placed under the spotlight by Mark Chapman and former Wolf Conor Coady on the Football Daily podcast.
Mario Lemina was the topic of discussion on the podcast, with Chapman sharing his opinion that the captain is ‘one of the most underrated’ in the Premier League.
“I said to the producer, I think Lemina is one of the most underrated midfielders in the Premier League,” Chapman said.
“On a lot of the stats on Mario Lemina, he is in the top 10 of midfielders in the league, more on the defensive side of things. I think he’s old school, kind of box-to-box.”
Chapman’s opinion was shared by Coady, who described the skipper as Wolves’ ‘linchpin’, applauding the Gabon international’s impact since taking the armband.
“He’s a linchpin for that team, he was made captain when Ruben Neves left, I think what he’s done for the club, being that real centre-piece of the team, he’s helped them like you wouldn’t believe.
“He’s going to help them again this year, he needs to be that main man. He plays really well with Joao Gomes, I think they complement each other really well.”
Gary O’Neil values Lemina
Lemina has been impressive this season although, has not been at his best amid the changes in Wolves’ midfield.
Still, the 31-year-old has remained a firm favourite of O’Neil’s, as the manager continues to divide opinion regarding who he deems a part of his best XI.
There’s been some noise over the decision to drop deadline day arrival Andre to accommodate Lemina, who has the boss’ backing to continue to lead the side in the engine room.
Coady and Chapman’s opinion on the captain rings true, with the former Juventus ace being an integral part of the project at Molineux since his arrival in January 2023.