New Wolves boss Vitor Pereira got off to the perfect start as the visitors blew Leicester away with three first-half goals en route to a 3-0 victory at the King Power Stadium.

It was Wolves’ first game since sacking Gary O’Neil last weekend on the back of four straight Premier League defeats, and his successor Pereira, who arrived from Al Shabab on Thursday on a 18-month deal, could hardly have wished for a better beginning.

Goncalo Guedes opened the scoring after 19 minutes and Rodrigo Gomes capitalised on a defensive mix-up to double Wolves’ advantage after 36 minutes, with Matheus Cunha putting the game to bed before half-time.

The result lifted 18th-placed Wolves within two points of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Foxes.

Cunha was named in the Pereira’s line-up despite the Football Association misconduct charge hanging over his head for his part in the ugly scenes at the end of last weekend’s loss to Ipswich, while Van Nistelrooy made three changes to the team thrashed by Newcastle last time out.

The opener arrived when Leicester were caught napping at the back, Nelson Semedo’s ball allowed to bounce in the area with Guedes nipping in behind to poke past Danny Ward with the first bit of quality of the afternoon.

At the other end, Jose Sa was called into action for the first time but comfortably dealt with James Justin’s long-range effort.

Wolves were soon two up following a misunderstanding between Justin and Ward. The former looked set to deal with Matt Doherty’s long ball forward but allowed it to bounce past and Gomes was waiting to divert past the onrushing goalkeeper.

The Leicester fans were not impressed and the next touch for Ward, who was brought in to replace the injured Mads Hermansen, was greeted by heavy boos from the home faithful.

The Foxes’ best chance of the half came two minutes before the break as the ball fell for Jamie Vardy, whose effort got past Sa but was cleared off the line by Toti Gomes.

And Leicester found themselves three down moments later.

Guedes’ fine work down the right opened up space for him to feed Cunha, with Ward getting a hand to his shot but unable to keep it out.

Leicester searched for a way back in the second period with Vardy, who cut a frustrated figure up front, having a glancing header easily dealt with by Sa.

Wolves went close to a fourth when Santiago Bueno nodded a whisker wide from Cunha’s cross and, with the visitors seemingly keen to pile further misery on their hosts, Cunha teed up Joao Gomes, who forced Ward into a save which was sarcastically cheered by the Leicester fans.