Max Kilman has heaped praised on Craig Dawson following his excellent debut for Wolves against Liverpool at the weekend.
Dawson was handed a start by Julen Lopetegui, with Nathan Collins dropping to the bench.
And Lopetegui’s bold decision to throw him straight in was justified.
Dawson fired in Wolves’ second goal of the 3-0 win, and was generally absolutely solid at Molineux.
Dawson signed for Wolves having been on the club’s radar since the summer.
They had wanted to bring him in from West Ham United at the start of the season. An agreement had actually been reached, but in the end West Ham refused to sell because they couldn’t sign a replacement.
But Wolves remained interested and kept the door open.
Dawson was still keen to come, and eventually Wolves did get the deal done for around £3.3 million.
Dawson’s inclusion against Liverpool was somewhat surprising, with Kilman and Collins having both been improving lately.
But he got the nod over Collins, and Kilman has lavished praise on the new signing, revealing he helped guide him through the game against the Reds.
He said (Express& Star): “It’s great for him and we’re proud of him.
“It’s great for everyone. It was great playing with him, you can see his experience and he’s a natural leader.
“He’s very strong and guided me through the game and collectively, defensively, we were really solid.”
Kilman certainly did seem to benefit from playing alongside Dawson. Former Wolves midfielder Dave Edwards suggested it was one of his best games of the season so far.
Dawson will undoubtedly improve both Kilman and Collins at Wolves
It is interesting to hear Kilman admit Dawson helped to guide him through the game.
It’s clear that Dawson is going to be that vocal and commanding presence that Lopetegui has been after.
Bringing him in could be a genuine masterstroke by Wolves.
Dawson is hugely experienced and is known for being a top professional.
There’s no doubt that he is going to have a big impact for Wolves.
He is going to shore things up at the back. And he will also raise both Kilman and Collins’ games. The duo will be able to learn a lot from him.