Wolves got back to winning ways in the Premier League on Saturday, beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 – and it was a day that could prove to be very significant for Joao Gomes.
Gary O’Neil did it again for Wanderers, and masterminded a brilliant victory over a top Premier League side.
A Gomes double saw Wolves take all three points, with Wanderers doing the double over the north Londoners.
It was a superb away performance from Wolves in the absence of one of their best players Matheus Cunha.
Wolves defended brilliantly for the most part and then picked their moments to strike on the counter, with Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-chan so dangerous up top.
But it was Joao Gomes who was the star of the show, and his display yesterday could be hugely significant for his career…
Joao Gomes shines in front of Brazil’s manager Dorival Júnior as Wolves beat Tottenham
This may well have been Gomes’ very best display in a Wolves shirt to date.
Not only did he score two goals, but he was everywhere for the visitors and was one of two players – the other being his midfield partner Mario Lemina – picked out for praise by Danny Murphy on Match of the Day.
Gomes won the ball back countless times against Spurs and just showed once again why Wolves are so excited about his potential.
His performance was excellent and excitingly, it actually came in front of the Brazil national team manager Dorival Júnior. Journalist Liam Keen wrote on X: “I understand Brazilian national team head coach Dorival Júnior was at the game in London today. Not a bad way for Joao Gomes to make an impression!”
It’s unclear whether Dorival Júnior was there to watch Gomes specifically.
Spurs had a couple of Brazil internationals in their team yesterday in Emerson Royal and Richarlison so it’s possible they were a focus.
But Gomes’ display cannot have gone unnoticed.
A big day for Gomes
So Gomes’ display came in front of the Brazil manager, who simply had to have been impressed with what he saw.
Gomes has been called up to the Brazil squad once before, and was on the bench for the nation’s friendly match with Morocco just under a year ago. But he didn’t get on that game, and he has not be in a squad since.
But surely, he now stands a very good chance of being called up again by Dorival Júnior, because Gomes has now had a string of brilliant perofrmance for Wolves this season.
The 23-year-old still needs to improve on the ball in the eyes of Gary O’Neil. But his ability to win the ball back for his team and the energy he brings just makes him a highly effective player and hopefully, he’ll soon be donning that famous yellow shirt.