Bruno Lage has insisted “the fans can dream” about Champions League football, and Wolves are threatening to make a top-four finish a reality.

Lage is masterminding one of the uplifting stories of the Premier League campaign and this victory keeps them in contention for a place in Europe next season.

Daniel Podence’s wonderful second-half strike ensured Wolves remain six points behind fourth-placed Manchester United, with two games in hand, and they are no longer a team flying under the radar.

It was a fifth league game without a win for Brendan Rodgers, and though Leicester’s board are understood to remain behind the manager, this was another frustrating afternoon.

Leicester had produced one of their better performances of recent weeks – registering 17 shots on goal – but have now conceded a staggering 65 goals in all competitions, a statistic which hangs over their season like a dark cloud.

Rodgers will rightly point to the lengthy injury list, with defenders Jonny Evans, Wesley Fofana and James Justin absent here, yet must be aware that Leicester’s season is in danger of fizzling out.

Lage, meanwhile, is performing brilliantly in his first season as head coach and is running out of ways to play down what his team could achieve.

Five wins out of six in the league this year suggest Wolves have to be taken seriously, ahead of pivotal matches against Arsenal and West Ham.

Lage said:  “I think we can do something special but we have to continue to work. When I say something special, it’s about the way we are going to play for the final 14 games. In the last three months, we have been solid, picking up points, and been the big team we want to be.

“Forty points at this stage of the season is very good but we need to move on. Don’t relax, and next we will look to get to 43 points. We need to recover well for Arsenal on Thursday night and keep this going.”

There were other positives for Wolves, with defender Max Kilman producing another fine performance in front of Gareth Southgate’s assistant Steve Holland, and Pedro Neto appearing as a substitute for his first appearance since April.

Rodgers could not believe his team had come away without any points, and this was certainly a vastly improved display.

“We’re very disappointed as we’d done enough to get something, but we are starting to return to our level,” he said.

“Sometimes after you lose there is disappointment or frustration but I am very enthused. If you look at the winless run it should already be over. With players coming back from injury over the next few weeks, hopefully we can challenge again. It is just disappointing, they had two shots from outside the box and it’s two goals.”

Wolves had not scored in over seven-and-a-half hours against Leicester in the league but were ahead after nine minutes.

It was a brilliant strike from Ruben Neves, with the midfielder planting a crisp shot into the bottom corner from 18 yards after Leicester failed to clear. Neves has scored 13 of his 20 league goals for Wolves from outside the box, and was outstanding all afternoon.

Leicester did respond, with Youri Tielemans and Patson Daka both denied by Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa.

The intention was clearly to catch Wolves out on the counter-attack, utilising their pace in forward areas, and Leicester’s equaliser four minutes before half-time was deserved and well-worked.

Tielemans’s exquisite pass released Marc Albrighton inside the area, and his low cross was turned in at the near post by Ademola Lookman.

Leicester were in control early in the second half, pressing Wolves into mistakes and panic. They were also creating the better chances and Tielemans came close to bending a shot into the top corner, after another rapid break from Lookman down the left.

Yet, out of nowhere, Wolves regained the lead in the 66th minute. Kilman’s charge from inside his own half got Wolves up the pitch and after Rayan Ait-Nouri was tackled, the ball broke to Podence.

Taking one touch to tee up the shot, Podence then arrowed a low shot into the corner from 20 yards. Rodgers turned around to his staff in disbelief.

Rodgers made attacking changes as time started to tick away, bringing on James Maddison and Kelechi Iheanacho, with the Leicester midfielder lifting a free-kick inches over the crossbar.

Tielemans had one last chance for Leicester in injury-time, with Sa pushing away his shot seconds before the final whistle.

The Wolves fans will continue to dream.