Wolves comment: Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho two of the very best

As while nobody of a gold and black persuasion looks at Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho and thinks that they are bad footballers, it is easy to take for granted just how talented they are.

But, with Wolves having the weekend off, now seems an appropriate time to wax lyrical about the pair of them.

Both are so incredibly gifted with the ball at their feet and yet so tenacious when out of possession, they have manned the midfield – when you sit back and take a minute to reflect – to an exceptional standard over the past few months.

Since going back to a 3-4-3 formation, Neves has had a new lease of life.

After playing in an often-frustrating deep-lying role in a midfield three, the 22-year-old – especially at Manchester United last time out – has been working smoothly, and swiftly.

Time and again he was closed down by multiple men at Old Trafford, but a drop of the shoulder and neat turn later, he would find his way out of the maze and pick out the pass.

Neves’s goals are mainly looked back on as the examples of an artist painting masterpieces, but his ability to outwit the Red Devils at pretty much every turn was nothing short of magical.

His general play – short passes, one-twos – has improved immensely.

Neves, of course, continues to catch the eye with his cracking cross-field balls. But he also seems to be doing everything half-a-second quicker.

While some players have appeared slightly jaded – and understandably so, given there has been 41 games so far – Neves has had more of a spring in his step with each passing week.

Moutinho, meanwhile, must be the most clever player to have worn a Wolves shirt.

Very few, in the world, read the game as well as he does.

Aged 33 and standing at 5ft 7in, the odds, really, are stacked against Moutinho in a league which is so physically demanding.

However, he makes it look so simple. Win the ball, look up, make the pass – and repeat. He dictates play.

More than often than not, Neves and Moutinho find themselves outnumbered in the middle of the park. But rarely is it ever a problem.

It was at the start of last season, to be fair.

In fact, the pair being nullified was what sparked the shift to 3-5-2 for the second half of the campaign.

But as the understanding between the pair has grown, they have thrived – against two or three. They have not been overrun.

What is so admirable is the respect they have for each other, too.

A lovely video released by Uefa this week had them saying which qualities of each other’s game they would want to steal.

Moutinho wanted Neves’s ability to shoot from distance, while Neves asked for Moutinho’s intelligence.

Wolves’ Portuguese pass-masters are superb just the way they are, though. Two of the very best.