Vitor Pereira paid tribute to "special" Matheus Cunha following the forward's inspirational performance during Wolves' 3-0 win over Leicester City.

The Brazil international opened the scoring at Molineux with his 15th Premier League goal of the season, before providing assists for Jorgen Strand Larsen and substitute Rodrigo Gomes in the second half.

Cunha has now been directly involved in 21 Premier League goals this term (15 goals, six assists), with only Raul Jimenez in 2019-20 (23) having had a hand in more in a single campaign in the competition for Wolves.

"He is a special player," Pereira said. "When he feels the happiness inside, when he is himself, he can create.

"He played a fantastic game. It shows he is committed with us, with his team-mates, with everyone."

Wolves, who secured their Premier League status with victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford last weekend, have won six successive matches in the top flight for the first time since 1970.

It has been a remarkable transformation in fortunes for the club, who appeared to be strong candidates for relegation when Pereira succeeded Gary O'Neil in December.

"I'm very proud of my team and our supporters," the Wolves boss told BBC Match of the Day.

"I don't like to win a game without playing good football, with our identity. We can create our identity. When we arrived, it was [about] defending better, and now I want more.

"Since the first day, I said to them: 'I came here because you have quality. If not, I wouldn't have taken the job. I have a clear idea about football, and you must be open to start playing to create our identity'.

"I felt the players understood the things we wanted from them since the first day. It is not just about tactics, it is about energy also. We are very happy in this moment.

"We need to finish this season in the best position we can and show our spirit, identity and ambition."

Meanwhile, Cunha insisted he is happy at Wolves amid speculation linking him with a move away from Molineux.

"We are very committed to this club, everyone, and want to show the fans our capacity," he said. "We're starting to get the points we deserve and show everyone our work.

"I always say that I am always happy to play for this team. Sometimes, my emotions are too much because I love to be here."

Meanwhile, relegated Leicester suffered their 24th Premier League defeat of the season; only in 1977-78 and 1994-95 have they ever lost more in a single league campaign in their history (both 25).

The Foxes have also conceded first in 29 of their 34 games this term; the most ever by a Premier League side in a single 38-game campaign.

And head coach Ruud van Nistelrooy was left far from impressed by the manner of their defeat.

"I look at the performance and that wasn't good enough," he said. "I don't talk football-wise, but I talk intensity, duels.

"We had many easy ball losses in possession, especially in the first half. In the second, yes, we conceded two on the break, but we were better in those things.

"At half-time, I had to address these things. That's not acceptable. Those things don't require talent.

"How intense you press, how intense you make a duel or the easy ball losses that are going to create lots of transitions where you have to recover. That was addressed, then we went into the second half.

"We look at all 17 teams above, and acknowledge that we weren't at that level. That is very clear, we have to accept it and move on."

In-form Wolves are away to Manchester City next Friday, while Leicester are at home to bottom-of-the-table Southampton a day later.