The late winner for Wolves, after they had repelled two fightbacks from their Midlands rivals, sparked jubilation at Molineux that even saw victorious manager Nuno Espirito Santo sent off for celebrating on the pitch with his players.

Leicester twice came from behind, at 2-0 and 3-2 down, and must have felt they had secured a crucial point for under-pressure manager Claude Puel when their captain Wes Morgan made it 3-3 with a header in the 87th minute.

Yet Wolves, who got off to the quickest of starts with two goals in 12 minutes through Jota and Ryan Bennett, would not be denied as Jota snatched his third in the 93rd after a final thrust by the hosts saw them leapfrog Leicester in mid-table.

It was heartbreaking for the Foxes who, after their sluggish start to the game, provided a sparkling start to the second half when two down, with a fine individual effort from Demarai Gray and a Conor Coady own goal dragging them back to parity.

It was unfortunate for Coady, who also scored an own goal on Monday against Manchester City, although there was little he could do when a shot from Harvey Barnes, just recalled from a loan deal, deflected off him into the net.

Wolves went ahead again in the 64th when a superb through ball from Ruben Neves set up Jota to fire home his second goal and, despite Morgan's late leveller, the Portuguese swept in again to strike home Raul Jimenez's pass at the death.