Nuno Santo picked out Ruben Neves for praise in a strong collective performance for Wolves.

Neves scored a goal-of-the-season contender in the 2-0 victory against Derby.

His volley into the top corner guaranteed the points, but Wolves dominated as a unit and restricted the Rams to a few chances.

The Portuguese international has been a key player for Wolves this season in central midfield. His all-round ability allows the side to flourish because he is able to dictate the tempo. He also contributes in the final third with six goals and 1 assists in the league this season.

Here's what Santo had to say post-match, according to the Wolves official site: "Ruben’s was a fantastic goal."

"We are fortunate to have this talent and when they are able to exploit it, but what makes these moments is the organisation of the team, the control."

"Sometimes we don’t see it, but we have to enjoy these moments. Of course, we have talent no doubt it about and beautiful goals, but it goes beyond that."

The Verdict

Neves is the star player in that Wolves side and he will be key if they want to avoid relegation in their first season in the Premier League because most promoted sides don't have such an influential player in their team.

He provides control in a key area and allows Wolves to dominate the midfield which enables them to be patient and take advantage of any opposition weaknesses while also being solid defensively so they are hard to break down out of possession. However, Santo did well to maintain the balance between appreciating Neves and praising the team as a whole.