There was the outrageous pass with the outside of his boot for Wolves’ sixth goal in the FA Cup win over Shrewsbury, the kind of skill that would have had fans raving about Matheus Mane only a month ago. It’s too late. It wasn’t the best thing he’d done that week.
Mane’s equalizer at Everton just a few days ago featured a sublime first touch and a composed finish. It was Wolves’ first win in the Premier League, with Mane scoring the first goal, the second penalty and the third goal.
In the Manchester United game before that, he was arguably the best player on the pitch. He was not far behind at Liverpool and Rob Edwards’ decision to move him into the middle changed the game. His assists at Arsenal almost helped snatch an unexpected goal.
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Highlights of the Premier League match between Wolves and West Ham
It was a remarkable impact from the 18-year-old attacking midfielder, who was in a desperate situation with Wolves adrift in bottom place and the mood gloomy. Mane almost single-handedly transformed the atmosphere around Molineux.
Mane, who hasn’t played a single minute of the campaign under Vitor Pereira, has become the soundtrack to the second half of the season, his name sung loudly and proudly to the tune of The Cranberries’ Zombie. He is in the lead and Wolves are now four unbeaten.
How did he do it? It might be a cliché to claim he was playing fearlessly, but it was hard to miss that observation as his more experienced team-mates seemed paralyzed by it. The contrast was deep and his vitality was noticeable.
Without Mane, Wolves would have no one to run against, let alone beat the opposition. By doing so, he is making things happen. Rolls his marker to open space for John Arias’ goal against West Ham. Running from behind to receive the ball at Everton.
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Highlights from the draw between Everton and Wolves, where Matheus Mane equalized
This explains why Mane was so electric with the crowd, but it was just as meaningful for his team-mates. When Edwards was asked about Mane after the long-awaited win over West Ham, he spoke of the teenager who he is already finding inspirational.
“Another really brave performance, another selfless performance,” the Wolves manager said. “He’s only 18, but he’s like a bit of a leader there too. I think it’s contagious. He’s teasing people with his energy and passion.”
How many people that age can make that claim? For context, he is already one of only two teenage players in the Premier League to have found the net more than once this season. His goals came four days apart. He did not make his official debut even on Christmas.
Since then, he has established himself as a key figure in the team. The only minutes he has missed in the Premier League since taking charge at Anfield came in a result in which Edwards was sure to receive his own standing ovation.
Matheus Mane’s minutes per position for Wolves in the Premier League demonstrate his versatility.
All of this focuses on his energy and effort, but if this were simply a case of a young player showing the right attitude, half of the Premier League would not be monitoring his progress. His precocity also includes tactical maturity and technical quality.
As Edwards pointed out, Mane is showing more of his game with each appearance. After initially being introduced as a winger, the coach adjusted things to move him inside for the second half against Liverpool, where he caused all sorts of problems.
“We found a lot of things he could do between the lines, and he could create,” Edwards said. “I thought his energy was great, I thought his running was great, but he was brave. He took risks, took shots, dribbled, turned and went forward. He was a real shining light.”
His ability to adapt has become even more evident at Old Trafford. Mane had gone to bed the night before and thought he would play a senior role, but a back injury made him reconsider and prevented Ladislav Krejic from stepping up in midfield. Mane had to play as number 8.
“I think he thought he was going to play as a number 10,” Edwards said after the 1-1 draw. “We talked about it with him at dinner last night and obviously things have changed today, so to see that level of understanding is really, really impressive.”
There was a late recovery tackle where Casemiro dug in to regain possession. “That’s what we need,” Edwards said. Edwards said he “plays out of position” but has kept him there ever since. This time, even his coach was surprised.
The fact that Mane has already left home for one of the country’s top three clubs also reveals a lot about his mentality. Undaunted, he may still be at Rochdale in 2024, but he feels ready for it. He is not being fast tracked.
Remember his comments after the Liverpool game on his Premier League debut? His answer to the first question included the phrase, “I think I deserve it.” What is the second answer? “Now I’m getting what I deserve in terms of game time,” Mane said.
When asked about his firm stance, he replied: “I deserve to be here. This is where I want to be, I want to be here and take people’s places.” Finally, when asked what supporters should expect, he said the first goal was coming. It was the very next weekend.
Sunday, January 18th, 1pm
Kickoff at 2pm
It’s no surprise that Edwards says he has a “big mindset,” but now that he’s had a taste of it, it’ll be interesting to see what happens next. I’m already interested in him. Wolves may soon have to make the case that they could benefit from a Championship season.
If the player himself is feeling impatient, it’s because he is already showing that he is ready to play at the highest level, and with 17 games of the Premier League season still remaining, Mane’s current trajectory suggests there are many more special moments to come.
Edwards summarized: “He’s 18, so there’s a long way to go and we’ll see that. Physically, he’ll continue to get better. What I like is his intelligence, passion, courage and obviously his technical quality. He’s meeting a lot of the criteria.”
And transform your team in the process.
