Wolverhampton Wanderer's defender Richard Stearman has admitted to the Wolves club website that he's in the best form of his career.

Stearman
Stearman feels he's in good form

The defender's return to the side has coincided with a fantastic defensive run for the team, with his personal performances seeing him rewarded with four successive man-of-the-match awards by fans.

Stearman was named in the PFA Championship team of the year last time Wolves were promoted to the Premier League, so knows what it takes to make an assault on the summit of the table - something he hopes he can guide his team to in the coming months.

"Fingers crossed, certainly over the next couple of games we're hoping that we can pick up some points and get right back up there in the mix," Stearman said to club's official website.

“All the games coming up are tough but it is up to us to try and pick up some points and turn the heat up on the people above us.

"I think as a base we've become hard to beat again because throughout November we were conceding goals, and a lot of them, and that wasn't great from a defensive point of a view.

“We've got back to noughts and ones conceded so it gives us a very good chance of winning games or drawing and that's something that was missing in November.”

Stearman has starred in a fantastic defensive run for Wolves that started in December - the side have conceded only 3 times in the league since a 2-1 defeat to leaders Bournemouth at the start of that month, but Stearman understands that consistency is key.

"It's probably the best run of games I've had in my career at the moment but I'm not getting carried away,” he continued.

“I'm delighted with how I'm playing but I'm just going to continue with what I'm doing and concentrate fully on trying to maintain that form and help the team as best I can.”

Wolves' play-off ambitions were given a boost on Wednesday when it was confirmed that Arsenal striker Benik Afobe had completed a permanent move to the club.

Afobe has scored 19 goals in 30 appearances for League One outfit MK Dons this season and his acquisition, which coincides with the return of on-loan striker Kevin Doyle, will ease the pressure on Kenny Jackett's impressive defensive unit.