Premier League GW8 - Wolves vs Aston Villa

Wovles vs Aston VIlla | Photo Credits: Getty Images

Aston Villa travels to Molineux to take on Wolves in an exciting Midlands derby in the Premier League.

Stake in the Absence of Rivals

Despite the fact that West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham City are not currently competing in the Premier League, Wolves and Aston Villa still see this match as their main local rivalry. After becoming the first team to defeat Manchester City this year, Wolves came into the game with a fresh sense of confidence. They also had seven points after seven games. They were keen for a victory since they had the chance to put some distance between themselves and the teams at the bottom of the table.

Aston Villa, on the other side, entered the game fresh off a decisive 6-1 win against Brighton. At Villa Park, they won the Premier League for the tenth time straight. The difficulty for Villa was maintaining their outstanding home form on the road. Their recent victory over Zinjski Mostar in the Europa Conference League, which was won thanks to a goal in stoppage time from John McGinn, increased their self-assurance. However, Villa has only been able to draw once and lose once against Wolves under Unai Emery.

Starting Lineups:

Wolves (3-4-3):

Starting XI: Jose Sa; Maximilian Kilman, Craig Dawson, Toti Gomes; Nelson Semedo, Joao Gomes, Mario Lemina, Rayan Ait-Nouri; Pedro Neto, Matheus Cunha, Hang Hee-chan.

Subs: Dan Bentley, Matt Doherty, Santiago Bueno, Boubacar Traore, Fabio Silva, Sasa Kalajdzic, Jonny Otto, Tommy Doyle, Pablo Sarabia.

Aston Villa (3-4-3):

Starting XI: Emiliano Martinez; Ezri Konsa, Diego Carlos, Pau Torres; Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara, Douglas Luiz, Lucas Digne; Moussa Diaby, Ollie Watkins, John McGinn.

Subs: Robin Olsen, Youri Tielemans, Bertrand Traore, Calum Chambers, Clement Lenglet, Nicolo Zaniolo, John Duran, Leon Bailey, Leander Dendoncker.

The Kick-Off: The Midlands Derby Begins

On the day of the Derby, the sun shone brightly at Molineux as Wolves kicked off the match!

First Half: A Drab Start

Both teams gave it their all in a relatively dull first half, but there weren't many clear-cut opportunities. Throughout the entire half, just one shot was on goal; Matty Cash's hard volley was superbly stopped by Jose Sa. Despite their persistence, the Wolves had trouble getting past the Villa defense.

Second Half: Explosive Action

The second half got going with a bang. Hwang Hee-chan scored a goal for Wolves in the 53rd minute after Pedro Neto sent a precise cross. Neto's assist, his fifth of the year, showed off his superb form.

Pau Torres of Villa promptly replied to even the score in the 55th minute. The critical assist came from Watkins, and the score was now tied at one.

With opportunities on both sides, the contest continued to produce exciting moments. The game continued until minute 103 because the action was so fierce, according to the referee. Watkins' header off the post came close to giving Villa the victory, but the game ended in a thrilling 1-1 tie.

Full-Time: Points Shared in the Midlands Derby

In the end, 10-man Wolves held off a determined Villa attack to earn a point in this Midlands derby. Villa squandered an early opportunity, but both clubs scored quickly in the second half. A exciting 1-1 draw was the result of the game.

In the 2023–24 season, Wolves have eight points after eight games, which may please manager Gary O'Neil in light of the difficult opponents they have played. They are in position fourteen. With 16 points and fifth place, Aston Villa will be happy with their solid start. Their placement on the table is also impacted by this outcome.