Wolves secured a potentially vital 1-0 victory against Fulham on Saturday, with the win enough to keep Nuno Espirito Santo’s side in 7th place in the Premier League table.
Leander Dendoncker managed to get the score the only goal of the match, slotting home a well taken volley with just 15 minutes remaining, and the Belgium international was a key figure throughout Wolves’ narrow win, with Matt Le Tissier signaling him out for praise following the game.
Dendoncker has become a key player in the Wolves side in 2019 and Le Tissier has enjoyed what he has seen from the midfielder.
“I think the second half of the season he’s really come into his own,” the Southampton legend said on Sky Sports News after the match on Saturday [05:18pm].
“He didn’t get much a chance in the first half of the season if I remember, because he wasn’t in that team that was unchanged pretty much at the start of the season. But when he’s got his chances he’s certainly taken them and made himself a real feature in the side here.”
OPINION
Le Tissier is right to single out the performance of Dendoncker after Wolves’ win against Fulham. The Belgium international has had a mixed first year in English football, with Nuno Espirito Santo opting to pair Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho at the heart of Wolves’ midfield in his 3-4-3 system in the first half of the season. However, since the turn of the year Santo has elected to adapt his formation to a 3-5-2, with Dendoncker profiting and being given the opportunity to establish himself in a three-man Wolves midfield. The Belgian has taken this opportunity with both hands, becoming a key part of Wolves’ challenge for a 7th placed finish since January. Dendoncker’s quality in possession and ability to break up play in midfield has taken some of the pressure off both Neves and Moutinho, who were at times isolated against three-midfielders in the earlier part of the season. Wolves supporters will hope that Dendoncker can carry on good recent form into next season, as the club looks to establish itself back in the Premier League.