Wolves are still coming down from the high of their emphatic 4-2 away win against Chelsea on Sunday, with one player taking all the praise for his individual brilliance in the capital.
Wolves striker Matheus Cunha was the man of the moment during the Old Gold’s dazzling 4-2 victory over Chelsea on Sunday, as the Brazilian claimed a hat-trick on a memorable day at Stamford Bridge.
The 24-year-old’s trio was not only significant for himself and the team’s result but for the club as a whole, recording Wolves’ first-ever Premier League hat-trick away from home.
Rightfully achieving a 10/10 Sofascore rating for his dominant display in West London, Cunha has been the subject of high praise for his hand in the impressive victory.
Speaking to the media after taking three points from Mauricio Pochettino’s side, manager Gary O’Neil lauded his striker as “unbelievable” for the work he has put in to understand the tactical demands he expects of his squad.
“All we’ve managed to do really is change an unbelievably talented footballer into an unbelievably talented footballer that has a really good understanding tactically now of what the team needs from him, and how important little things can be.”
Max Kilman echoes Gary O’Neil’s praise of Matheus Cunha
The boss wasn’t the only figure from the first team to wax lyrically over Cunha, as club captain Max Kilman shared his thoughts on his teammate to the media.
“He deserves it. I didn’t notice until he had the match ball after that he had a hat-trick. Phenomenal, he worked his socks off today. He did a slide tackle late in the second half, which shows the commitment in the squad, not just him, but he deserved it.
“He’s been phenomenal these last couple of months, he’s kicked on even more, so credit to him and hopefully we can kick on and keep this phone going.”
The Old Gold worked tirelessly all over the pitch to ensure that the three points returned to the Midlands, with the concentration of the team captured by Kilman’s failure to recognise that his teammate had secured his hat-trick.
At the start of the season, the narrative surrounding Cunha was one of inconsistency, as the former Atletico Madrid forward consistently blundered chances after stylish passages of play.
During the 2022/23 campaign, the 24-year-old only managed to score two goals in his first taste of Premier League football, a record that has been smashed by his form this term.
The ability to seal his hat-trick and drive Wolves to a crucial win on Sunday further encapsulated the change that the front line has seen since O’Neil’s arrival, as Cunha netted his 7th, 8th, and 9th goals of the campaign.
From his ball-carrying strengths, highlighted by his chart-topping average of 2.97 carries into the final third per 90, to his ability to now confidently finish chances, Wolves are finally getting the best out of their Brazilian.