By the numbers: Leander Dendoncker goes the distance for Wolves

Capable of playing at the back as well as in midfield, the Belgian can always be depended on to do a solid job – either from the off, or as a substitute.

And here, as Wolves get ready to restart the Premier League campaign at West Ham on Saturday, we are taking a look at the 25-year-old’s most impressive stats so far this season.

Distance covered

Dendoncker may not have the most conventional running style – chest puffed out, almost like a power walker – but he certainly gets about.

Across 29 games this term, he has run 277.05km, which puts him 28th in the overall top-flight list.

It also leaves him third in the Wolves chart, behind Ruben Neves (288.36km) and Joao Moutinho (292.54km). Respectable stuff, but Dendoncker’s most eye-catching stat when it comes to running is his distance covered in a single game.

He ran a lung-busting 13.21km during the 0-0 draw with Brighton just before football was suspended in March, putting him at the top of the Premier League pile.

Dele Alli, James Milner, Tomas Soucek and Bernardo Silva are the only others to break the 13km threshold in a match.

And if that was not enough for you, Wolves’ second-best distance covered in a single game was also set by Dendoncker – his 12.52km in the 2-0 win at Manchester City in October.

Amazingly, there is even more as well. All Wolves’ entries in the top 100 runners in a game this season all come from the Belgian.

Dendoncker also ran 12.47km in the home win against Norwich, 12.43km in the draw at Leicester, 12.36km in the Molineux victory over Watford and 12.18km in the home draw with Leicester.

If he had not played in defence while Willy Boly was injured and stayed in midfield instead, you have to think he would be top of the overall Wolves chart, too.

Dendoncker is Nuno Espirito Santo’s marathon man.

Defensive efforts

While not as astonishing as his running data, Dendoncker’s defensive work is still worth noting.

Most – me included – seem to be of the opinion that he is best in midfield, but he did not do bad in defence at all. When it comes to aerial duels won, he is third for Wolves with 77 – behind Romain Saiss (86) and Matt Doherty (100). For clearances, he is fourth, with 55, and fifth for interceptions with 35.

He has also made 56 tackles – putting him third in that respect – made 11 blocks and helped Wolves keep 7 clean sheets this campaign. Fair play to him.

Attacking output

Dendoncker is not prolific by any means but he has scored two league goals – the same as he managed last term – and chipped in with another one in the Europa League.

He will be looking to claim an assist in the final nine games, while aiming to keep up his efficient passing.

His 1,117 passes so far put him fifth in the Wolves list, so, overall, Dendoncker is among Wolves’ best in a lot of departments.

He is not the most flashy player, of course, but the numbers show exactly why Nuno has taken a shine to him.