Everton 1 Wolves 3 – player ratings

Rui Patricio

Made his first save for two weeks when rushing from his line to deny Theo Walcott in the first half. His kicking was better and he made a couple of decent claims from crosses. 7/10

Ryan Bennett

Gave the ball away a bit too often (57 per cent pass accuracy) but defensively he was absolutely sound as a pound with a number of blocks, clearances, headers and interceptions. 7/10

Conor Coady

Half a mile from the home of his beloved Reds, the Wolves captain produced an inspirational performance, perhaps his best of the season. At a quiet Goodison Park you could have heard Coady's constant and relentless instructions from Anfield – and it's that communication which so often helps Wolves restrict the opposition to so few chances, as was the case yesterday. Played an outstanding ball over the top for Jota which sent him clean through, one of seven accurate long balls (out of 11). Rarely conceded possession and also made a brilliant late block. Wolves have risen from the Championship to seventh place in the Premier League – and the fact Coady remains the heartbeat of the team, both on and off the field, is testament to how he has grown at the same rate as the team. 9/10

Willy Boly

Straight back into defence for his first appearance since that red card at Manchester City and he looked a little rusty to begin with, giving the ball away too often (his overall pass accuracy was 58 per cent) amid a couple of shaky moments. However, he grew into the game and looked like his normal self in the second half, producing a brilliant late block to deny Keane. 7/10

Matt Doherty

Wonderful play for the opening goal, sending Leighton Baines to Toxteth when he looped the ball over his head, barged his way inside and drew a clear foul from the ex-England left-back. It was a carbon copy of Tuesday night, but this time the penalty was given. Always made himself an outlet on that right flank and defensively he was unflappable. 8/10

Ruben Neves

Not at the levels he's reached recently, playing only 15 passes in his 48 minutes before hobbling off injured. Looked to have picked up that knock early on, which may have inhibited him. Still kept Wolves ticking along, though. 7/10

Joao Moutinho

More assists than a modern F1 car – that's five in three games for the Portuguese maestro who, let's never forget, cost £5m to purchase last summer. That's £1m less than Stoke paid Swansea for Sam Clucas. His beautifully floated free kick onto the head of Raul Jimenez was pure pinpoint accuracy. Also sent Jota beyond the Everton back line with an outside-of-the-boot through ball that belonged in the Louvre. 8/10

Leander Dendoncker

Cast your minds back, if you will, to December 28, 2018. Marko Arnautovic's Mandarin lessons are beginning in earnest, hopes are high for the upcoming England cricket tour of the West Indies – and Leander Dendoncker has yet to make his first Premier League start for Wolves. Fast forward five weeks and it's no exaggeration to say that the Belgian has become a vital, perhaps indispensable cog in this rapidly improving Wolves team. Not only has 'The Donck', a cult hero in the making, been individually superb, adding a physical, box-to-box presence to a side that lacked one, he's also freed up Neves and Moutinho to thrive alongside him. At Goodison Park Dendoncker enjoyed his best Wolves game to date – expertly screening the back three with some defensive solidity, keeping possession with tidy, brisk passes and then bolting upfield like a particularly frantic horse to burst late into the box. He should have scored in the first half – but made up for it in the second with a confident swing of his left boot to fire a volley into the roof of the net. Won eight tackles overall. Only Moutinho at Fulham (nine) can better that this season. Man of the match. 9/10

Jonny Castro Otto

Joined for £15million earlier this week and continued his recent impressive form with another fine display down that left flank. Like a few of his team mates, he just kept robbing Everton of possession. Five interceptions was the most on the pitch and he won the ball in the build-up to the third goal. Has notably improved the attacking side of his game on late. If he can crack that, he'll be worth far more than £15m. 8/10

Raul Jimenez

He joined Wolves as a relative unknown in this country. He'd been a perennial substitute at Benfica (60 of 80 appearances came from the bench), he had hardly been prolific since moving to Europe in 2014 and it was considered a gamble and a risk that he was the only striker Wolves added to their squad in the summer. Six months, 11 goals, six assists and a string of striker masterclasses later and Raúl Alonso Jiménez Rodríguez is in the conversation of 'Premier League signing of the season'. Scored with a perfect header, involved in the build-up to the third, teed up Dendoncker for a brilliant chance, almost netted another himself and popped up in midfield to casually spray some precision passes. Defended from the front too...this guy has the lot. A majestic footballer who, perhaps more than any other player in the squad, would leave a gaping hole in the XI were he to be injured. Vital to Wolves' future endeavours. Four goals in three games and he has 13 games at least to improve on his tally of 11. You'd back him to reach 17 or 18, maybe even higher, at this rate. What a signing – and he just gets better. 9/10

Diogo Jota

Talking of getting better, Diogo Jota has improved beyond recognition from the struggling, confidence-lacking forward we saw produce no goals or assists for the first few months of the campaign. Frightened the life out the Everton defence on a number of occasions with some searching runs off the last man, as well as earning the free kick for the second goal when a rattled Keane needlessly brought him down. Should have scored when put through by Coady. Tenaciously snapped and harried from the front and pressed Everton with his 'cheeky scamp' style of defending, that at one point saw him nick the ball off Zouma before wriggling free of a player who's about one foot taller and three stone heavier than him. Nearly capped his fine performance with a goal, but instead passionately celebrated when Dendoncker finished the job. 8/10

Substitutes

Romain Saiss (for Neves, 49)

Woeful pass accuracy of 44 per cent but his afternoon was more about doing the dirty work well – which he did – helping protect the defence as Wolves looked to sit deep and frustrate the Toffees. 7/10

Helder Costa (for Jota, 77)

One lively run down the right flank. Worked hard and will probably get a chance to impress on Tuesday. 6/10

Adama Traore (for Jimenez, 89)

No time to make an impact. N/A

Subs not used: Ruddy, John, Gibbs-White, Cavaleiro.

The Cat

Pretty much the only thing that evaded the Wolves defence all afternoon. Does he have a release claws? 10/10