Wolves picked up an invaluable three points against Ipswich Town on Saturday to confirm their Premier League status for another season.
The Old Gold moved 12 points clear of the Tractor Boys after coming from behind to win 2-1 at Portman Road, with forward Jorgen Strand Larsen netting the winner.
In the absence of Matheus Cunha, who returns from his suspension against Tottenham this weekend, Strand Larsen has netted in each of his last three games.
Troy Deeney compared Strand Larsen to Zlatan Ibrahimovic for his touch in the build-up to Pablo Sarabia’s goal as the 25-year-old proved he’s more than just a goalscorer.
The Norwegian international also hailed the emergence of one teammate as a key reason for his resurgence in form.
Jorgen Strand Larsen hails ‘amazing’ Marshall Munetsi
Since Cunha received a suspension, the towering centre-forward has been completely transformed and he puts that down to the impact of Marshall Munetsi.
Wolves signed Munetsi for £16 million on transfer deadline day, and Strand Larsen thinks the attacking midfielder’s ‘energy’ and work off the ball has been integral to his improved performances.
“Marshall has done an amazing job since he came here,” he said via the E&S. “He’s put down so many kilometres, he’s running and fighting for every ball.
“Not everything can be perfect, me and him are quite the same and you can’t hold every ball up when playing against really big and strong defenders.
“He’s working a lot around me and that gives me the energy to finish off the chances. It’s nice to have around.”
Munetsi’s work off the ball has been outstanding and it can often go unseen, but luckily, Vitor Pereira has also noticed the difference he’s made to Strand Larsen.
Vitor Pereira says Munetsi is key to Strand Larsen’s upturn in form
Although Wolves felt they would have missed Cunha’s brilliance in attack, his suspension has allowed other partnerships to form, with Pereira feeling Munetsi has helped Strand Larsen become an even better striker.
“If you look at the game, do you know why Larsen is playing better? Because of Munetsi. Because Munetsi now is playing close to him, and opens the space for him and helps him to play, and attack the space,” Pereira said.
“The markers go with him, and he opens the space. The adaptation (of Strand Larsen) in the Premier League is better. He is getting better. But because now we put a player behind him, creating space, attacking space, helping him in the first and second balls. This is what happens now. That’s why Larsen is doing better.”
So, with Cunha set to leave Wolves this summer, it’s promising that the Old Gold have round a route to goal without the Brazilian, primarily through the budding partnership of Munetsi and Strand Larsen.