Aston Villa 3 Wolves 1 - Report

The visitors impressed in a dominant opening 45 minutes as Matheus Cunha pounced on a Villa mistake to fire Wolves ahead.

But the hosts put on the pressure in the second half, which eventually paid off with a 73rd minute Watkins equaliser.

Wolves were defending deep and struggling for an outlet, as Ezri Konsa slid home the late winner.

But that misery was compounded in the 94th minute when Jhon Duran tapped home a third, meaning Wolves are now winless in five Premier League games this season.

Analysis

Unai Emery made one change from his Villa team that beat Young Boys in the Champions League in midweek.

Lamare Bogarde dropped to the bench as Diego Carlos came into the side.

Gary O’Neil made 10 changes from his Wolves side that lost at Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, but named the same starting XI that lost to Newcastle in the league last weekend.

Joao Gomes was the only player that started all three games, while Toti Gomes remained sidelined with a hamstring complaint.

In a lively Villa Park atmosphere it was Wolves that made a decent start.

They were finding space on the flanks and won some set pieces to put the hosts under pressure, but were unable to make any of them count.

Villa then took their turn to dominate possession but were doing little with it, in what was a quiet opening 15 minutes.

Mario Lemina had a good chance when he rose highest at a corner, but his header was straight at Emi Martinez, having taken a touch off Amadou Onana on the way.

Wolves then worked the ball well out of defence as Jean-Ricner Bellegarde rode a challenge and released Rayan Ait-Nouri down the left, but his cross was too deep.

After 25 minutes, Wolves took the lead. A poor pass from Carlos as Villa played out from defence saw Cunha steal the ball and take aim from 25 yards, smashing the ball in off the post and sending the away end into raptures.

A fantastic passing move then released Bellegarde down the right and his low cross almost found Lemina.

Wolves were in the ascendancy and another move shortly after saw Bellegarde hook the ball back into the box and Ait-Nouri’s deflected effort trickled agonisingly wide of the post.

The home crowd were restless and it prompted a response from Villa. The ball nearly fell to Morgan Rogers in the box, but J.Gomes did excellently to track back and intercept.

Craig Dawson then made a superb sliding tackle on Watkins as Wolves defended resolutely.

At the other end, Wolves had a great chance to make it 2-0. A perfect ball over the top from Yerson Mosquera released Jorgen Strand Larsen. He was pushed slightly wide but his low shot almost crept under Martinez, who made the save.

Shortly after, from a corner, Larsen’s header almost caused Villa issues as they scrambled to clear the ball.

John McGinn picked up a knock in the closing stages of the half and Villa played until half-time with 10 men, as Wolves entered the break leading 1-0.

As the teams came out for the second half, Villa replaced McGinn with Leon Bailey and also took off Lucas Digne for Ian Maatsen.

The second half started with Villa dominating possession, but Wolves were keeping them at bay as the home crowd became increasingly frustrated.

But Ait-Nouri’s loose pass to Cunha allowed Villa to break, resulting in a poor Jacob Ramsey cross, as the chance was wasted.

Villa were pushing and a shot from substitute Ross Barkley took a deflection before dropping for Sam Johnstone to collect.

Wolves almost doubled their lead when J.Gomes stole the ball and charged forward, but his pass to substitute Goncalo Guedes was too heavy and wide and the chance was lost.

Mosquera then saved his side with a clearance off the line, after Watkins beat Nelson Semedo at the back post and directed a header at goal.

Duran then headed over from close range after finding himself unmarked.

After 73 minutes Villa’s pressure paid off, albeit in fortuitous circumstances. Wolves won a midfield battle but the ball popped up to Rogers, who found Watkins and his shot took a big deflection off Dawson to beat Johnstone.

Shortly after the goal, Mosquera committed a tactical foul to deny Villa’s counter attack, but was injured in the process as Rogers caught his planted foot and twisted his leg. After a break in play for several minutes, the defender was stretchered off and replaced by Santi Bueno.

Wolves were defending deep but another lapse in concentration saw them throw away another lead and concede an 88th minute goal.

Youri Tielemans crossed deep towards the back post, Lemina lost his marker and Konsa slid in to turn it home.

As 13 minutes of added time were announced, it was Villa that grew stronger and they added a third in the 94th minute. Rogers lost Bueno and crossed low for Duran, who had got away from Ait-Nouri, to tap into an empty net.

Thunder and lightning began to engulf Villa Park towards the end of the game, causing the floodlights to flicker, as the game came to an end and Wolves found themselves in a storm at the wrong end of the Premier League table.

Key Moments

GOAL 25 Cunha takes advantage of a Villa error to smash Wolves into the lead

GOAL 73 Watkins fired Villa level

GOAL 88 Konsa wins it for Villa

GOAL 94 Duran makes it three for the hosts

Teams

Villa: Martinez, Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne (Maatsen, 45), Tielemans, Onana (Barkley, 62), McGinn (Bailey, 45), Rogers, Ramsey (Duran, 62), Watkins (Buendia, 99).

Subs not used: Gauci, Nedeljkovic, Bogarde, Young.

Wolves: Johnstone, Semedo, Mosquera (Bueno, 82), Dawson, Ait-Nouri, Andre, J.Gomes (Doyle, 82), Lemina, Bellegarde (R.Gomes, 70), Cunha, Larsen (Guedes, 64).

Subs not used: Sa, Doherty, Forbs, Sarabia, Hwang.