Pedro Neto relishing being the main man for Wolves

Their definite star performer so far this season, Neto is the joint top scorer for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side – tied with Ruben Neves on five.

He also leads the way for assists, with five as well, and would love to come up with another moment of magic against the Reds at Molineux.

On having that responsibility, Neto said: “I will be honest, I like that.

“I like to have the responsibility to help the team when it’s not in a good moment, to be the man that helps the team.

“With the help of my teammates and, of course, when we’re not in a good moment of the game, I want to be the guy that helps, to say ‘we go, no problem’.

“Try to help the team to drive the ball, even if we can’t.

“I like this kind of pressure and these kind of things to help my team-mates.”

Neto will be hoping to outshine his former team-mate Diogo Jota this evening.

Jota is returning to Molineux for the first time since being sold by Wolves to Liverpool last summer, in a deal worth up to £45million.

On whether he felt he needed to step up in the wake of Jota’s departure in the form of goals and assists, Neto said: “I will not say it was with Diogo going to Liverpool.

“Even when I was not playing a lot and Diogo was the starter, even if I played 25 minutes, I had to be hard on myself.

“I always wanted to score a goal or give an assist so the people say that I’m working hard and recognise my value, and I feel good to myself.

“When I go to a game, I always try to give an assist, a goal and help the team. I think it’s the most important.”

Nuno’s lot, while still not being at their best, have picked up as of late – losing just one of their last seven in the league.

Jurgen Klopp’s Reds, meanwhile, have only won one of their last seven in an unsuccessful bid to defend their title.

Still, Neto knows Wolves will have to be on their mettle to get a result.

“Our focus is on Liverpool. We are changing a little bit our mentality to go good in the first half, I hope so,” he said.

“We are looking forward to the game because it will be a good game. It will be a hard game.

“It’s always a difficult game against Liverpool, because they have a very good team, but we have to take the opportunity to show that we have personality – to play and to show our game.”

Liverpool have, similarly to Wolves, had key players forced out through injury this season.

Key centre-half duo Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are still absent, with the Reds having looked particularly frail at the back throughout the campaign.

Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips – having kept clean sheets in the two matches they have started together – are likely to play.

On perhaps taking advantage of the new pairing, Neto added: “To be honest, I prefer to play Van Dijk and Gomez because I like to play with the best and against the best, so I can improve my game.

“What is the best thing in football is when we can play with the best.

“I play in this league, so I can play with the best and against the best you know, to show that I can do my job and play my game whatever is on the pitch.

“Every day I come here to work, to improve.

“I always want to do better you, to improve my game, to improve my mentality, and I come here every day to work hard and to be the best.”

Wolves, meanwhile, could have Willy Boly start in defence after a hamstring issue.

He has been an unused substitute for the last two matches.

Both Daniel Podence (adductor) and Fernando Marcal (thigh) are still on the sidelines.