"I missed their smile" - Vitor Pereira delighted with Wolves' Carabao Cup win

Wolves banished the negativity of their Premier League defeat to Leeds at the weekend with an improved performance against the Toffees at Molineux.

Pereira, delighted with the overall performance, was even happier to see a positive outlook from his players and the Molineux crowd.

"I'm very happy because the first half was maybe the best first half this season," the head coach said.

"With personality, quality, controlling the game and controlling the pace, creating problems.

"And in the second half the spirit of the team, trying to defend well, to be compact, to create situations on the counter-attack and we score the second goal.

"I'm happy for my players because I missed their smile. I missed going in the dressing room and seeing their smiles - and the smiles of the supporters."

Pereira said after the Leeds defeat that a win in the Carabao Cup - despite it not impacting their lowly league position - would help to improve the confidence of his players.

Playing in a new-look back four and with winning goals from Marshall Munetsi and Tolu Arokodare, Wolves looked far more assured in their display against an under par Everton.

And Pereira felt the confidence grow in his players as they stood firm for a clean sheet and win.

“It was nice to see the players with confidence, playing good football, good pressure, controlling the game, character, team spirit," Pereira said.

"It means that, for me, we can do this because they have quality. The players have quality, and we can bring a team stronger and get points in the league.

“A good result can change everything. It can change the spirit of the team, change the atmosphere. I’ve missed it a lot, the smiles of my players and the supporters, and today I think we have reasons to smile.

“It’s a different energy. If you feel the energy of the confidence, they can play at this level. Today might tell everyone on the pitch that they can play at a different level. They showed that they have the level of the Premier League, and we can compete with this kind of team.”

The switch to a back four was an unexpected one but it was effective for Wolves on this occasion and the head coach is eager to utilise a number of formations.

Pereira added: “I'm here not to please myself, but to find solutions, to try to put my players in comfortable positions, to feel comfortable, to play at their level. Today, I liked it. 

"Sometimes we used to say that we need to change to get different things. Today, I think we did it.

“At this moment, we can use both formations. Of course, we just had one day to change. But the intention of the game is the same. You can change the system and I'm very happy for my players.”