Premier League | Gameweek 24

Feb 1, 2025 at 5.30pm UK

Molineux Stadium

Wolves vs Aston Villa

Match preview

Since they beat Manchester United 2-0 at Molineux on Boxing Day last year, Wolves have only picked up one point in their last five Premier League games. They drew 2-2 at Tottenham Hotspur, but then lost the next four games 10-1 together.

It's worth mentioning that the Old Gold were beaten by Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, Chelsea and Arsenal during this run, losing 1-0 at home to the latter last weekend in a game where a player from each team was sent off - Joao Gomes was dismissed just four minutes before Riccardo Calafiori scored the decisive goal.

Vitor Pereira thought his team "lost a big chance to win" against a Gunners side that had only one player left after the second half. Wolves have lost 15 Premier League matches this term and have dropped back into the relegation zone following Leicester City's surprise win at Tottenham, but they are only one point behind safety with 15 games left.

The Old Gold have already lost five Premier League games in a row this season under their former boss Gary O'Neil, and they'll be trying to avoid another five-match losing streak when they play Aston Villa this weekend. The only Premier League team to ever lose five times in a row on multiple occasions under different managers and still avoid relegation are West Ham United in 2006-07 (Alan Pardew and Alan Curbishley).

Wolves go into Saturday's match having lost just one of their last five home games with Aston Villa (W3 D1), but they'll need to step up their defence if they want another good result. Only basement club Southampton (53) have conceded more goals than the Old Gold (52), and their average of 2.26 goals against per game is their worst in a league season since 1932-33 (96 in 42 games, 2.29).

Aston Villa have made it to the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in 41 years after beating Celtic 4-2 at Villa Park on Wednesday night.

Morgan Rogers inspired the Lions to victory with his first career hat-trick, including two goals in the opening five minutes, and although Celtic fought back with a brace from Adam Idah, the Premier League side prevailed to seal a top-eight finish in the 36-team standings.

Unai Emery called it a "fantastic" night at Villa Park, and while he was keen to praise the club's supporters and the performance of his team, the Spaniard faced multiple post-match questions over the future of forwards Jhon Duran and Ollie Watkins. The former is set to join Al-Nassr, while the latter has been linked with Arsenal.

Aston Villa will now shift their attention back to the Premier League, where they currently sit eighth in the table but only four points behind the top four. After beating Wolves at home in the last game, Villa are hoping to win against them in the league for the first time since 2003-04.

The Lions have done really well, winning 22 of the first 25 PL matches in which they've been ahead at half-time under Emery. But they've only gone on to win four of their last nine (D4 L1), including a 1-1 draw with West Ham last weekend. But Villa haven't lost a top-flight match under Emery when they've played a team that started the day in the relegation zone (W13 D5).

Recent Performance

Wolverhampton Wanderers Premier League form:WDLLLL

Wolverhampton Wanderers form (all competitions):DLWLLL

Aston Villa Premier League form:LDWWDD

Aston Villa form (all competitions):WWDLDW

Team News

Wolves' Sasa Kalajdzic, Boubacar Traore, Enso Gonzalez, Yerson Mosquera and Carlos Forbs are all out with knee injuries, and Mario Lemina is still not with the first team, with no one knowing what's going to happen with him. Joao Gomes is suspended after being sent off against Arsenal.

Toti Gomes is fit to play now, so he might be brought back into the team to play in defence with Santiago Bueno and Emmanuel Agbadou. Joao Gomes is going to be missed, but Tommy Doyle might fill in at centre-midfield with Andre.

Jorgen Strand Larsen might not be right to start after being forced off with a muscle injury against Arsenal. If Strand Larsen isn't fit to start, either Hwang Hee-chan or Matheus Cunha, who's been linked with a transfer away from Wolves, could be tasked with leading the line.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa's Matty Cash is looking at a spell on the sidelines after picking up a calf injury in the game against Celtic. And Tyrone Mings (knee), Pau Torres (foot), Amadou Onana (hamstring) and Ross Barkley (calf) are all in the treatment room as well.

Emery couldn't call upon Donyell Malen in midweek, but the January signing from Borussia Dortmund is in contention to start in attack. But Duran probably won't be involved, and Watkins should continue up front despite all the speculation about his future.

If Cash doesn't play, it's likely that either Ian Maatsen or Lamare Bogarde will start at right-back, while Boubacar Kamara is set to keep his spot in central defence next to Ezri Konsa, with Lucas Digne at left-back.

Possible starting lineup

Wolverhampton Wanderers possible starting lineup:

Sa; Agbadou, Bueno, Toti; Semedo, Andre, Doyle, Ait-Nouri; Sarabia, Hwang; Cunha

Aston Villa possible starting lineup:

Martinez; Maatsen, Konsa, Kamara, Digne; Tielemans, McGinn; Bailey, Rogers, Malen; Watkins