João Moutinho's Quiet Brilliance Should Be Celebrated While We Still Can

A game which had been plodding along at a sluggish tempo was lit up on the cusp of half-time by a moment of artistry from João Moutinho.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder arced a delicate dink - tantalisingly out of reach for the converging Crystal Palace defenders - perfectly into the path of Matt Doherty to tee up Daniel Podence for the game's opening goal.

After the match, Wolves boss Nuno Espírito Santo described the combination as 'pure talent' - two words which emphatically summarise what Moutinho brings to this cohesive unit.

Only the enigmatic Adama Traoré can better Moutinho's tally of nine assists for Wolves across the club's myriad competitions this season. As well as the chief orchestrator from set pieces, the Portuguese international pulls the strings from central midfield.

Whether Wolves deploy a 3-5-2 or 3-4-3, Moutinho invariably sits alongside his compatriot Rúben Neves. There is a decade between the pair and Neves' first encounter with his future teammate came as an academy prospect at Porto.

"When I was younger I saw Moutinho playing and he was very good," the 23-year-old told The Times. "He was a reference for me as a ball boy and now to play with him, it is unbelievable.”

Both knit Wolves' play together with short, precise passes while Moutinho tends to drift into the attacking third as Neves hangs back ever eager to unleash an effort from distance. Although, as their compatriot José Mourinho pointed out last season - always keen to focus on a player's defensive contributions - the pair are anything but passengers out of possession.

Mourinho told the Manchester Evening News: "These two Portuguese boys, they are both the kind of player that likes to bite, that likes to short distance, to press, they don't give long time for you to have the ball, to turn, one touch, two touches, you don't have much of that."

Moutinho, in particular, is one of the most active Premier League players when it comes to engaging the opposition, ranking third among midfielders for pressures attempted this season. This work ethic, coupled with his creativity, is made all the more impressive by Moutinho's seniority.

Wolves' number 28 is bounding around the pitch as the club's oldest player - with his 34th birthday rapidly approaching in September. In a squad which rarely gets rotated - no Premier League side has used fewer players than Wolves this season - Moutinho still stands out as a consistent starter.

The former Monaco man has played in 54 of Wolves' 56 matches this season, missing out on two Carabao Cup ties. Of those appearances, just five have come off the bench - incidentally, Wolves have only won one of the matches Moutinho has not started.

Should Moutinho feature in the club's final Premier League game of the season - which, barring injury, he surely will - it will mean his appearances in the 2019/20 campaign span more than 12 months. As the midfielder started the Europa League qualifier against Crusaders FC on 25 July 2019, assisting the second goal in a 2-0 win.

While Traoré and top scorer Raúl Jiménez (deservedly) garner much acclaim, Moutinho's influence and sheer durability should not fly under the radar. Espírito Santo - a coach who rarely strays away from the party line of praising the team, rather than an individual - couldn't help himself when reflecting on his midfield maestro's consistency.

Earlier in the season, Santo gushed: "We know that João is a top professional," as quoted by the Express and Star. "And João does it every day. It’s not only this season – he’s been that competitive throughout all his career. He’s a natural competitor. He loves the game, he loves to train, and he loves to compete."

When Moutinho's age was flagged as a concern last term, the midfielder emphatically - and optimistically - countered that he could 'play for ten more years'. Given the miraculous powers of recovery the squad has demonstrated this campaign, the Midlands side's medical team may certainly be able to eek a few more seasons out of the 33-year-old.

Moutinho's rapid adaptation to English football has been remarkable and - however long he lasts - every second he spends on the pitch, subtly dictating the game, should be cherished.