Arsenal legend Martin Keown was impressed by the ‘outstanding’ Pedro Neto and match-winner Joao Moutinho during Wolverhampton Wanderers’ dramatic triumph over Arsenal, while speaking to BT Sport.
If we’d told you that a Portuguese midfielder had rifled a 30-yard stunner into the net during Tuesday’s Premier League clash, you’d be forgiven for assuming we were talking about Ruben Neves.
But it was his 34-year-old compatriot who was the unexpected hero at Molineux, inspiring Wolves to a first league win since mid-December.
After Neves cancelled out Nicolas Pepe’s first-half opener from the penalty spot, Moutinho set his sights and launched a rocket of a shot in off Bernd Leno’s post – his first Molineux goal at the 61st attempt.
It is fair to say long-range wonder-strikes are not exactly Moutinho’s forte.
But the veteran play-maker then spent the final half hour doing what he does better than most; strolling around the pitch, setting the tempo and seeing out a vital win with intelligence, poise and grace.
“120-odd caps for his country. The experience he has is remarkable really. He knows how to see a game out, doesn’t he?” Keown said after a game in which Arsenal finished with nine men.
“It’s normally his colleague, Neves, who hits them from that sort of distance. A beautiful strike, hits it really true, like a bullet.”
While Moutinho capped a superb individual performance with a truly jaw-dropping strike, Pedro Neto did not get the goal or assist he deserved after another electrifying display down the left.
Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin could not deal with Neto’s pace and power during a one-sided second half. Although, in his defence, not many can these days.
“(Neto’s) been outstanding for them; really direct in everything he’s done,” Keown added.
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