Champions League-chasing Aston Villa welcome fellow European hopefuls Wolverhampton Wanderers to Villa Park for a Premier League West Midlands derby on Saturday evening.
When the two teams faced off almost six months ago, they played to a 1-1 draw at Molineux and were unable to separate themselves.
With nine Premier League games left, few Aston Villa fans would have predicted their team to be in the top four. While Unai Emery’s team has every right to hope for Champions League qualification for the first time since their 1992 rebranding, a dip in form before the international break has raised red flags.
One week after salvaging a point in a 1-1 draw at West Ham United, the Lions were destroyed 4-0 at home by top-four rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Michail Antonio’s first-half goal was cancelled out by Nicolo Zaniolo’s 79th-minute equaliser.
Villa is currently in fourth place in the standings, just three points ahead of fifth-place Spurs, who also have a game remaining. However, if Ange Postecoglou’s team defeats Luton Town a few hours earlier on Saturday afternoon, Emery’s team may switch places with the North Londoners before playing Wolves.
Villa Park had become a fortress earlier in the season, but since the new year, the Lions have dropped three of their four home league games—a record equal to that of Emery’s first 23 such encounters as manager. Additionally, during this run, they have given up 11 goals, which is three more than they have in their previous 10 home games.
Villa is eager to get back to winning ways this weekend, especially with tough matches against Manchester City and Arsenal coming up. However, they have lost their last six Premier League encounters with the Old Gold, so victory over Wolves is not guaranteed.
Wolves’ disappointing FA Cup quarterfinal exit at the hands of West Midlands rivals Coventry City, who won 3-2 at Molineux, meant they couldn’t start the international break on a positive note.
Rayan Ait-Nouri and Hugo Bueno gave the Old Gold the lead with two goals in stoppage time, but Coventry scored twice in stoppage time, with a goal from Haji Wright in the 100th minute to send the second-tier team to Wembley for a semi-final matchup with Manchester United. The Old Gold thought they had won the thrilling match.
Wolves can now fully concentrate on their remaining 10 Premier League games as they attempt to move up from their current position of ninth and close the three and six point gaps that separate them from seventh-placed West Ham United and sixth-placed Man United, respectively. A disappointed Gary O’Neil lamented his side’s wasted opportunities.
Given that Wolves are unbeaten in their last 10 league games in which they have scored the first goal and have won each of the previous seven of those games, they will be looking to seize early control of the game against Aston Villa in order to boost their chances of qualifying for Europe.
Only Man City (30), Arsenal (28) and Liverpool (27) have amassed more Premier League points since Christmas Eve than Wolves (22), who will be attempting to make it five straight games without a loss at Villa Park this weekend.
Form Guide:
Aston Villa Premier League form:
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Aston Villa form (all competitions):
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Wolves Premier League form:
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Wolves form (all competitions):
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Team News
Boubacar Kamara, Tyrone Mings, Emiliano Buendia (all knee) and right-back Matty Cash of Aston Villa are also in the treatment room as they await a possible three-week absence due to a hamstring injury they sustained while playing for Poland internationally.
In addition, John McGinn is out due to serving the second of his three-match ban this weekend, and Jacob Ramsey’s ankle issue will be evaluated prior to kickoff.
Youri Tielemans will be pushing to start in midfield alongside Douglas Luiz after scoring twice for Belgium in a 2-2 friendly draw with England midweek. Zaniolo, Jhon Duran, and Moussa Diaby will all be fighting for a start in attack alongside top scorer Ollie Watkins.
Key attacking players for Wolves, Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-chan, are sidelined due to hamstring injuries; however, Matheus Cunha, Craig Dawson, and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde may be able to make a late fitness test come game day.
Pablo Sarabia is anticipated to start in the final third, but teenage Nathan Fraser may get his third straight start because Wolves lack attacking options.
Before the international break, Ait-Nouri was playing well. Nelson Semedo will play on the other flank, and Ait-Nouri, a Moroccan, will continue at left wing-back. Joao Gomes, Tommy Doyle, Mario Lemina, and Boubacar Traore will all fight for starts at centre midfield.
Predicted Lineups
Aston Villa:
Martinez; Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Moreno; Bailey, Tielemans, Luiz, Zaniolo; Diaby; Watkins
Wolverhampton Wanderers:
Sa; Kilman, Dawson, Toti; Semedo, Gomes, Doyle, Lemina, Ait-Nouri; Sarabia, Fraser