Edwards praises inspiring influence of ‘fearless’ Mane as Wolves head to Everton
Rob Edwards feels that the courage displayed by teenage talent Mateus Mane has positively influenced the Wolves squad, as the Premier League’s bottom team aims to extend their recent resurgence against Everton this Wednesday. Wolves find themselves lagging at the bottom of the league after a disappointing first half of the season, and they were on course to equate the record for the longest winless streak from the start of a season in English top-flight history (22 games set by Bolton Wanderers in 1902-03). However, they finally achieved their first victory of the 2025-26 season on Saturday, triumphing 3-0 over West Ham at Molineux after previously managing a draw with Manchester United earlier in the week. Mane stood out as Wolves’ top performer against the Hammers, significantly aiding Jhon Arias in scoring the initial goal and later earning a penalty that enabled Hwang Hee-chan to double the lead. Mane capped off the match by striking into the bottom-left corner following a splendid touch, making him Wolves’ youngest-ever goalscorer in Premier League history at 18 years and 109 days old. Edwards asserts that Mane’s influence transcends his on-field performance, stating: “He’s in that phase where I might still seem a bit intimidating to him, so he won’t approach me with questions at all! He just needs to maintain his current approach. He possesses an excellent attitude, and his intensity, selfless contributions, and key moments of quality and courage have positively influenced the entire group.”
Looking back at Wolves’ first victory, Edwards remarked: “There’s been a noticeable uplift among the players, as they can sense a bit more progress. The squad can feel the change too. The club needed this, and the fans needed it the most. But we just continue to put in the hard work.” On the other hand, Everton recently fell 4-2 at home to Brentford, marking their third loss in five matches. David Moyes is still missing several vital players, such as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Jarrad Branthwaite, Idrissa Gueye, and Iliman Ndiaye, due to injuries or international commitments, though he still anticipates a quiet January transfer window. “I think we’re probably less likely than likely to be active,” Moyes mentioned. “We’re monitoring some players, but I wouldn’t want to raise anyone’s expectations too high. We’re assessing, but we will proceed cautiously.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Everton – Jack Grealish
Grealish has produced six assists in the Premier League this season, achieving more only in 2022-23 with Manchester City (seven) and in 2020-21 with Aston Villa (10). Only Andrei Kanchelskis (eight in 1995-96), Peter Beardsley (seven in 1992-93), and Nick Barmby (also seven in 1996-97) have recorded more assists in their debut Premier League seasons for Everton.
Wolves – Hwang Hee-chan
After a goal and an assist against West Ham in their last match, Hwang has thus far accumulated 30 goal involvements in the Premier League (24 goals, six assists), all while playing for Wolves. Just Raul Jimenez (58) and Matheus Cunha (42) have ever registered more for the club.
MATCH PREDICTION – EVERTON VICTORY
After their 3-2 victory at Molineux in August, Everton seeks to achieve a Premier League double over Wolves for the first time since the 2020-21 season. However, the Toffees have experienced defeat in their last two Premier League matches at Hill Dickinson Stadium, marking the first time this has occurred at their new venue. The last time they faced three consecutive home league defeats was back in September 2023 (a stretch of four).
The latest team news as we prepare for tomorrow night’s encounter at home against Wolves. #EVEWOL pic.twitter.com/m7WSj4pW9K
— Everton (@Everton) January 6, 2026
Furthermore, Wolves have not secured any victories in their last 12 away Premier League matches (with two draws and 10 losses), despite having won four straight before this streak begun. The visiting team may see opportunities for a positive result, having triumphed at Southampton and Tottenham (both five times) more frequently than at Everton (four times) in the Premier League. Additionally, Everton has lost five of their last nine Premier League games against opponents sitting at the bottom of the table (with three wins and one draw), although they did win their only such encounter since Moyes returned as manager, defeating Southampton 2-0 in May 2025.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Everton – 62.6%
Wolves – 17.6%
Draw – 19.8%
Published: 2026-01-06 21:49:00
source: www.soccernews.com
