Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola heaped high praise on his centre forward, Evanilson, calling the Brazilian’s performance against Wolves “phenomenal” after he won three penalties during the game—a new Premier League record.
In a chaotic game at the Molineux, the Cherries ended up being 3-1 up in the first half from two Justin Kluivert penalties and a first Bournemouth goal for Hungarian defender Milos Kerkez.
The visitors added a fourth in the second half - the third penalty goal of the day to complete Kluivert’s hat-trick from the spot - the second league record in one afternoon.
Wolves forward, Jørgen Strand Larsen, scored both of the home side’s goals but was not enough to stop an emphatic Bournemouth side having fun with the Wolves defence and capitalising on an error-filled performance by Gary O’Neil’s team.
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Evanilson key to victory
Evanilson delivered one of his finest performances in a Bournemouth shirt, proving instrumental in the team’s 3-1 victory over Wolves.
The Brazilian forward’s relentless pressing and tireless work rate earned his side three penalties, all of which were converted.
It was a display of sheer determination and intelligence, showcasing his ability to disrupt defences and create opportunities even without finding the net himself.
Speaking to the BBC after the match, Bournemouth boss Iraola was full of praise saying, "Evanilson has made the difference today. He has been fighting with the centre-backs and the goalkeeper. He was phenomenal."
He went further to underscore Evanilson’s impact, adding, "He did not score today, but he is [the reason] why we won."
While strikers are often measured solely by their goal tallies, Evanilson’s contributions beyond scoring - his movement, hold-up play, and relentless pressing - have made him an invaluable asset to Iraola’s side.
Against Wolves, he was a constant thorn in their defence, harrying their backline and forcing errors with his high-energy approach.
If the Brazilian can add more goals to his already impressive arsenal, he could establish himself as one of the Premier League’s most complete strikers.
But even without a goal yesterday, Evanilson was undoubtedly Bournemouth’s match-winner, leaving the Wolves defence utterly overwhelmed for 90 minutes.
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Iraola “very pleased” with performance
Cherries head coach Iraola expressed his delight after a crucial victory over Wolves, hailing his team’s execution of the game plan and ability to capitalise on key moments.
Overall, the visitors delivered a composed and clinical performance, earning some well-deserved high praise from their manager.
Iraola stated post-match, "[I am] very pleased with the performance and the win."
"We have played well without getting points in the last two games. We needed the win and the performance."
"But we needed today, apart from the performance that I think has been very good, we needed to finish the job and to take the points back home. And today, luckily, we could do it."
Bournemouth’s high pressing was a standout aspect of their play, particularly in the first half.
Iraola credited his team for unsettling Wolves early on, saying: "In the first half, we were very dangerous and the press was working well. We deserved this. We are trying to put pressure on them, do not let them feel comfortable."
This relentless intensity has been a hallmark of Iraola’s side all season.
Bournemouth have won possession in the final third 82 times—more than any other team in the league—and sit second only to Tottenham in high turnovers, with 114.
This commitment to press high and disrupt opponents was on full display against Wolves, forcing mistakes and creating opportunities.
Despite the emphatic scoreline, Iraola acknowledged the threat Wolves posed with their attacking talent.
"It is a team that, okay, concedes goals, but they are scoring a lot and they have lovely players up front."
"We could see today, no, [if] it is not Cunha, it is Larsen or Guedes. If [you make] one mistake, they are going to punish you," he explained.
While Bournemouth’s pressing game kept Wolves at bay, Iraola admitted he never felt entirely secure given the talents in the Wolves squad.
"We were keeping the ball quite far from our goal, but I was not feeling confident because we have seen it - they have scored two. But you know that [Wolves] is very dangerous team to play against."
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A hat-trick of penalties for Kluivert
Kluivert etched his name into Premier League history with a rare hat-trick of penalties in Bournemouth’s commanding win over Wolves - a feat last achieved in the top flight during the 1950s.
Speaking about Kluivert’s coolness under pressure, Iraola remarked: "Justin has played against my teams in Spain many times and has also scored penalties. Justin is normally quite confident in those situations."
Despite initial confidence, Iraola admitted he had reservations about Kluivert taking the third spot-kick.
"The first two were clear. For the third one, I thought maybe he is not the one to take it. But in the moment, I did not want to be the one to tell him."
With three crucial goals, Kluivert’s ice-cold finishing delivered a much-needed win for Bournemouth, reigniting their momentum ahead of a packed Christmas schedule.
