Beware of the Wolves

While the attention of the world has been firmly on the big boys, Wolverhampton Wanderers have been putting the points on the board and climbing the Premier League table with not much fuss and noise. But they find themselves chasing European places midway through February. They have been quietly impressive.

Any team that goes and wins at Old Trafford or Tottenham Hotspur Stadium should be regarded as a dangerous side. But apart from the adoring fans of the Molineux club, the wider public has somehow missed on the steady progress made by the Portuguese coach Bruno Lage and his pack.

Even when Wolves beat Manchester United and Tottenham, the focus was firmly on the losing team, the reaction from their high-profile managers and expensive misfiring stars rather than on Lage's tough band of brothers.

It's Wolves' attacking stats that are particularly intriguing. So far, they've been scoring less than a goal per match on average - but their defence made every goal they'd scored worth more than other teams' goals. For example, Watford, who are looking destined for relegation, have scored two more than Wolves. But Wolves boast the second-best defence in the league. They've leaked just 17 goals in their 23 matches so far - a truly impressive tally for a team whose backline of Romain Saiss, Conor Coady and Max Kilman cost less than $10 million. Spare a thought for Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool or Arsenal - who all pour millions into their defence every season - and who are worse than the golden-blacks from the English Midlands.

Thu 20.45: (2.00) Barcelona (3.60) Napoli (4.00)

The dream continues for Wolverhampton and their coach Lage. After claiming a thumping victory over Tottenham, the former Benfica tactician wants more results like that.

"The goal is every time to improve the way we are working. I don't promise anything but I know it's exciting for the fans to look at the table. We have to decide the best plan, the best eleven, and make sure we go on the pitch to play how we did today — that's how I approach every game."

How long can Lage's team keep their run going? Their fans are hopeful that their rock-solid defence could keep them in the hunt for a top-four finish and a place in next season's UEFA Champions League - a result that was beyond their wildest dreams at the start of the season.