Shropshire Star

Raul Jimenez: Every Wolves goal is now special

Raul Jimenez has learned to appreciate that 'special' feeling of scoring and winning football matches after coming back from his fractured skull injury.

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Wolves' star striker netted the only goal of the game to secure three points at home to West Ham, handing him his third goal of the season.

The 30-year-old put in a stellar performance and has begun to hit his best form since returning from that life-threatening injury a year ago.

When asked if every goal he now scores is special, Jimenez said: "Yeah it has to be, after what I lived last year.

"I know I have to enjoy football more, and when we win and when I score. Everything.

"It's really good and really special to be here at home and scoring."

Jimenez's goal and Wolves' win on Saturday came on the same day a documentary was released detailing his comeback from the injury.

Members of the club's medical team talk through the moment the clash of heads with Arsenal's David Luiz happened and the aftermath, while members of Jimenez's family discuss the emotional pain they went through.

Jimenez said: "It's good. Its's emotional to see all the people that appear there, talking about it.

"I know that without all of their support and all my team-mates and family being there, it wouldn't have been possible."

When asked if anything surprised him when watching the documentary, he added: "All of the people that appear in it and even the people that weren't in the documentary, they had their feelings that they never told before.

"That was a moment for them to show it and it's good to know now."

Former boss Nuno Espirito Santo also featured in the documentary and broke down in tears as he recalled the moment he realised Jimenez was seriously hurt.

It was an unexpected reaction from a manager who was always unflappable during his spell as Wolves head coach and Jimenez, too, did not expect to see that emotion.

"That was something that we didn't know about him, but all humans have that emotional part," he said.

"Looking at him in the interview like that is hard but it's emotional for us too."

Meanwhile, the team performance against The Hammers was impressive as Wolves found some consistency within a game after a good start.

And Jimenez believes the squad's hard work in training paid off.

"It's good to be here back at home and bouncing back after our last game in the Premier League that we lost," he said.

"We knew that we know how to play and are a good team, so we are competing to win the games.

"We had good opportunities and worked hard during the week.

"I only worked yesterday but all the other players have been working good all week and that's what gave us the good things to compete in this game.

"We knew how they play and how we have to play, to be ready."