Jota’s hat-trick secured the victory for Wolves, which sent Nuno’s side into the top half of the table, but the head coach had to spend the last few seconds watching from the dressing room after being sent off for encroaching onto the pitch.
Nuno was caught up in the euphoria at Molineux, but said he wanted to hug Jota because of the constant effort the forward brings to the side.
On a Molineux classic
“It was a very good game and a game that everybody enjoyed. It was a fantastic game of football and both teams were trying to play and win the game.
“We started well, but once we went in front we should have managed the game better, especially at the beginning of the second half. It is something we have to look at, but we have to do better. But we knew Leicester were going to react and they did so brilliantly.
“But this is football, it’s lovely to have finished this way and we were happy to get the win, but if we had not won, we would have been blaming ourselves, because we wouldn’t have achieved what we wanted to achieve.”
On fourth goal celebration
“I was sent off, but rightly so. We cannot go on the pitch. I tried my best to avoid going on the pitch, but someone saw me.
“I had to hug him [Jota], because he came back from injury and he’s worked very hard. Every time he’s on the football pitch he gives 100 per cent and I really appreciate it.”
On half-time ‘complacency’
“No, that was not the case at all. That was not the message at half-time. That was not the players’ beliefs. They are experienced enough to know being two goals up, the game was not finished.
“We went into the second half hoping for consistency, wanting to maintain the shape and avoid mistakes, but the goals came from mistakes.”
On importance of win
“They know that the football game is never over. They keep still believing and we have to play to win, this is football and we have to play to win. Both teams did a fantastic job today and I think everyone enjoyed it.
“It was very important because we’ve bounced back from two bad results in the Premier League, now we have the cup, and we go game-by-game, but it’s very important, especially because of the home factor. But we have to improve.”
