Now Lage wants Podence – whose progress has been hit by injuries – to add to his goal tally.

“Daniel’s been working hard. Remember when a few months ago everyone was talking about Raul and Adama?,” said Lage.

“Every time, I thought: ‘Don’t forget about Daniel’. He’s come from having an injury, and every time he comes from the bench, he helps the team. I know what I want from him and what I believe he can do.”

United were masters of their own downfall with a poor back pass from Jack Robinson setting up Wolves’ first goal.

The Championship side had not played in three weeks, but Billy Sharp, the captain, was unlucky not to find himself on the scoresheet.

“That wasn’t a 3-0 game in my eyes – in terms of possession and opportunities,” said Heckingbottom “We competed, but the scoreline doesn’t look like it. We gave them their goals – they gave us nothing.”

Match details

Wolves (3-4-3): Ruddy; Kilman, Coady, Marcal (Moutinho, 45); Nelson Semedo, Dendoncker, Neves (Bruno Jordao, 86), Aït-Nouri;Traore (Trincao, 68), Fabio Silva (Jimenez, 68), Podence (Cundle, 86). Subs not used: Giles, Sanderson, Lembikisa

Sheffield United (3-5-2): Foderingham; Basham, Gordon, Robinson (Freeman, 45); Bogle, Berge (Norwood, 79), Hourihane, Osborn, Norrington-Davies; McGoldrick (Burke, 65), Sharp (Ndiaye, 79). Subs not used: Brewster, Slater, Eastwood, Osula, Starbuck

Referee: Dean Whitestone