SM
Liverpool vs. Man Utd: 19 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
WL
Premier League | Gameweek 31
Jun 24, 2020 at 6pm UK
Molineux Stadium
BL

Wolves
1 - 0
Bournemouth

Jimenez (60')
Saiss (27'), Neves (41'), Moutinho (87')
FT(HT: 0-0)

Brooks (34'), Cook (36'), Wilson (39')

Nuno talks up "special" Raul Jimenez as Wolves maintain Champions League push

:Headline: Nuno talks up 'special' Raul Jimenez as Wolves maintain Champions League push: ID:403747: from db_amp
The Mexico international has scored 24 goals in all competitions for Wolves this season.

Boss Nuno Espirito Santo praised “special” striker Raul Jimenez after the forward maintained Wolves’ Champions League charge.

The Mexico international’s second-half header secured a 1-0 victory over Bournemouth at Molineux.

Wolves are sixth, just two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea who now have a game in hand, and they travel to Stamford Bridge on the final day of the season.

Jimenez’s 15 league goals is also the most by a Wolves player in the top flight since John Richards scored 17 in 1975-76, leaving Nuno impressed.

The Wolves boss said: “He has been working very hard and he is a special player. His motivation is to improve, he has broken the club record (most goals in a Premier League season) and he is challenging himself again and again every day.

“He has improved in a lot of things, I cannot be specific with one, but if you asked me the other way around there is also a lot of room to improve. He can be better.”

Nuno joked that he would talk to the striker after Jimenez said the club should dream big following two straight wins after the restart.

Raul Jimenez was praised by his manager (Mike Egerton/PA)

He added: “Our players think, they get excited after a game. I’ll put him in his place.”

Despite Wolves’ excellent form – they have lost just twice in the Premier League in 2020 – Nuno still refused to be drawn on their Champions League hopes.

“We have two days to prepare for Aston Villa, let’s rest well and prepare for the next game, that’s the only thing in our minds now,” he said.

“We are in the middle of a pandemic, we have been through three months, like everyone, with difficulties.”

In a game of few chances, Jimenez and Adama Traore combined for the 10th time this season to seal victory on the hour.

Traore swung in a cross from the right and Jimenez rose about Jack Stacey and Steve Cook to power in a header from six yards.

Pedro Neto should have made it 2-0 in stoppage time after an excellent run but fired wide.

Bournemouth never looked like recovering after going behind and are now without top scorer Callum Wilson for their next two games against Newcastle and Manchester United after he was booked for the 10th time this season.

They remain in the drop zone on goal difference.

Callum Wilson was booked for the 10th time this season (Mike Egerton/NMC Pool/PA)

Boss Eddie Howe said: “It’s very tight, it will go possibly down to the wire. We have to realise, although we are in a difficult moment, nothing is lost. We still have a chance to define our destiny.

“I’m frustrated because we gave everything to the game. We started well, the first half was pretty good. The second half they put us under more pressure and the goal is out of nothing.

“It was a carbon copy of their goal at West Ham, which is disappointing. You’re not going to stop every cross but we should have defended the cross better.

“We’re not creating enough, nowhere near enough. That’s the thing which will hurt us more. We have good technical players but it didn’t show. We were wasteful with the ball and ultimately I think that has cost us the game.”

amp_article__403747 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2020-06-24 20:30:31:
html db last update - 2020-06-24 20:30:31 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Raul Jimenez

Click here for more stories about Wolverhampton Wanderers

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool18143145172845
2Arsenal20117239182140
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest1911442619737
4Chelsea20106439241536
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle20105534221235
6Manchester CityMan City2010463627934
7Bournemouth209653023733
8Aston Villa209563032-232
9Fulham207943027330
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2061043029128
11Brentford208393835327
12Tottenham HotspurSpurs20731042301224
13West Ham UnitedWest Ham206592439-1523
14Manchester UnitedMan Utd196492126-522
15Crystal Palace204972128-721
16Everton193881525-1017
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1944113142-1116
18Ipswich TownIpswich2037102035-1516
19Leicester CityLeicester2035122344-2114
20Southampton2013161244-326
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .