ASTON VILLA host fierce rivals Wolves in a blockbuster West Midlands derby this afternoon.
Unai Emery‘s men go into the match on the back of winning their Champions League opener away at Young Boys in the week.
eanwhile, Wolves are still searching for their first Premier League win of the season and currently sit in the relegation zone with just one point after four games.
- Kick off time:Â 3pm BST
- TV/Stream:Â Not available in the UK due to the 3pm blackout
- 35‘Â Wolves are enduring their worst run of results for over two years – and since the start of March they have also earned fewer points (nine) than any other current Premier League team – yet they are putting on a gritty performance today, against a Champions League side. It’s so far, so good for O’Neil.
- 33‘Â A driving run by McGinn ends with a low throughball to Watkins, who then plays a smart first-time flicked pass to Rogers. The latter is crowded out when attempting to shoot from close range, though, before Wolves clear the danger.
- 31‘Â CLOSE! After a deflected ball loops up into his path, Ait-Nouri strikes a shot towards the target from 10 yards out, but it takes a flick off a defender and painfully trickles just wide of the right-hand post! That goal from Cunha has boosted Wolves’ confidence, and even their full-backs are flying forward.
- 29‘Â Johnstone calmly comes off his line to claim the ball after Tielemans takes another free-kick from the left flank – this time, it strays too close to the Wolves goalkeeper. Aston Villa will have to step up a gear if they are to draw level before half-time.
- 28‘Â Due to dissent, Pau Torres picks up a needless booking that could cost him later in the game.
- 27‘Â Joao Gomes flies into a tackle on Digne, upending the Villa left-back and earning himself a booking.
- 25‘Â WOLVES LEAD! Cunha strikes at Villa Park – it’s 1-0 to Wolves! An awful error by Diego Carlos hands the visitors a precious advantage! The Brazilian defender – back in the starting lineup today – sends a stray pass straight to his compatriot, who calmly moves forward and beats an out-of-position Martinez with a tremendous early strike! It goes in off the left-hand post!
- 22‘Â A promising position comes to nothing for the home side, as Tielemans puts a free-kick into the area for Watkins to flick on. No-one wearing claret and blue can react, so Wolves ultimately clear their lines.
- 20‘Â While Villa have had 61% of possession so far, they’ve yet to threaten Johnstone’s goal. As things stand, Opta’s live win-predictor gives Wolves just a 21% chance of winning this match and ending their long wait for a league victory, but they are very much in this contest.
- 18‘Â SAVE! Another Cunha corner from the left is fired in towards Wolves captain Lemina, who again gets to the ball first inside Aston Villa’s area. This time, he plants a firm header straight at Martinez, who reaches up and makes a smart save!
- 16‘Â After a coming-together with Ramsey in midfield, Semedo soon fouls the same player inside Wolves’ half, pulling him back by the jersey. It’s a clear yellow card for the full-back.
- 15‘Â There’s more disruption to the game’s early flow, as Cunha is left down on the turf following a midfield challenge. He eventually gets back to his feet and pings a cross into Villa’s penalty area from 40 yards out, but Wolves are then penalised for offside.
- 13‘Â Bellegarde returns to the fray, as Wolves drop into a deep defensive shape, trying to keep Aston Villa at arm’s length. The visitors have a pretty good Premier League record at Villa Park, but recent results will leave them wary of being caught out at the back.
- 11‘Â The action is halted once again, as Bellegarde takes a blow to the head and must be assessed by the medics. He is able to walk off unaided, but the game resumes without him.
- 9‘Â Rogers and Digne combine on the left, but the latter’s outswinging cross is headed away from immediate danger by Dawson, who was a fitness doubt for today’s game. Wolves will need their veteran defender to be at his best today, having struggled so much defensively.
- 7‘Â As Konsa threatens to run away from him down the touchline, Ait-Nouri reaches across and hauls his opponent down by the shirt – that’s a booking for the Wolves defender.
- 6‘Â After a brief delay, with Dawson having sustained a knock while contesting the ball at the set-piece, the action resumes. This game between two local rivals has started with typical intensity, backed by a lively atmosphere at Villa Park.
- 5‘Â Good work on the left by Cunha earns Wolves their first corner-kick of the match, and the Brazilian forward takes it himself. A flat cross towards the penalty spot is flicked goalwards by Lemina, but it only spins straight towards a waiting Martinez.
- 3‘Â Digne’s surging run to the left byline is not quite enough to keep a long throughball in play, and though the French full-back claims for a corner it is not awarded. It’s been a pretty bright start from the home side.
- 1‘Â Following a minute’s applause to celebrate the life of Aston Villa legend Gary Shaw – a 1982 European Cup winner, who passed away earlier this week – Wolves kick off and we are under way in Birmingham
- Â The players are out on the pitch at Villa Park, and kick-off in this Premier League contest is now just moments away!
- Â Â After making 10 changes for Wednesday’s EFL Cup clash – with only Joao Gomes retained from the side that started against Newcastle – Wolves revert to last week’s league lineup. Cunha and Larsen are paired up front, while Johnstone replaces Jose Sa in goal. Toti Gomes has failed to overcome a hamstring strain, but Ait-Nouri is fit to return at left-back.
- Â Â Aston Villa make one change to the XI that started on Tuesday, as Diego Carlos replaces Bogarde in defence, meaning Konsa will switch to right-back. Watkins holds off competition from Duran to start up front. Once again long-term absentees Boubacar Kamara and Tyrone Mings – both of whom have returned to full training – join Matty Cash and Jaden Philogene on the sidelines.
- Â Â SUBS: Jose Sa, Matt Doherty, Santiago Bueno, Hwang Hee-Chan, Rodrigo Gomes, Tommy Doyle, Pablo Sarabia, Carlos Forbs, Goncalo Guedes.
- Â Â WOLVES (4-4-1-1): Sam Johnstone; Nelson Semedo, Yerson Mosquera, Craig Dawson, Rayan Ait-Nouri; Mario Lemina, Andre, Joao Gomes, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde; Matheus Cunha; Jorgen Strand Larsen.
- Â Â SUBS: Joe Gauci, Ross Barkley, Jhon Duran, Emiliano Buendia, Kosta Nedeljkovic, Ian Maatsen, Lamare Bogarde, Leon Bailey, Kadan Young.
- Â Â ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Emiliano Martinez; Ezri Konsa, Diego Carlos, Pau Torres, Lucas Digne; Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans; John McGinn, Morgan Rogers, Jacob Ramsey; Ollie Watkins.
- Â Â Wolves have put just a single point on the board so far, after going down to a 2-1 defeat against Newcastle United last week. Gary O’Neil has now overseen just one win across his team’s last 14 Premier League matches – a run featuring no fewer than 10 losses – and they also exited the EFL Cup to Brighton in midweek. While Wolves were beaten 2-0 in their most recent meeting with today’s hosts, they have lost only one of their last five league games at Villa Park.
- Â Â Fresh from starting their Champions League campaign with success in Switzerland, Aston Villa now return to Premier League duty with a game against local rivals. After adapting to a plastic pitch in Bern, they ultimately ran out 3-0 winners over Young Boys to start the league phase with maximum points, making it three wins on the spin for Unai Emery’s men. Last week, Villa fought back to beat Everton 3-2, with super-sub Jhon Duran striking a spectacular winner as they moved onto nine points from a possible 12.
- Â Â Hello and welcome to live coverage of today’s Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Wolves!
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