Aston Villa vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

Villa Park forms the backdrop for a Midlands derby as Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers lock horns in an exciting Premier League fixture.

Aston Villa’s renaissance under new boss Unai Emery continued on New Year’s Day as two unanswered second-half goals fired them to a 2-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur, marking their third victory in four Premier League matches under the Spaniard (L1). Before an underwhelming 3-1 loss to Liverpool in their last home league outing, Villa had won back-to-back top-flight fixtures at Villa Park by an aggregate score of 7-1, including a 3-1 thrashing of Manchester United. That’s a platform to build upon, as the ‘Lions’ aim to halt a woeful run of six Premier League H2Hs against Wolves without winning (D3, L3). Conceding first would likely dampen those hopes, considering Emery’s men have claimed just one point from the four league matches at Villa Park in which they’ve shipped the opener this term (D1, L3).

On the other hand, newly-appointed manager Julen Lopetegui led Wolverhampton to a last-gasp 2-1 win at Everton on his touchline debut in the Premier League but lost 1-0 to Man Utd last time out. Languishing one point adrift of safety, ‘Wolves’ lament the worst scoring record in England’s top flight, averaging only 0.58 goals per game this season. Incidentally, though, the abovementioned triumph at Goodison Park accounts for Wolves’ solitary league win on the road this season, arresting their abysmal run of seven consecutive away league fixtures without winning (D2, L5). But safe in the knowledge they achieved a league double over Villa in 2021/22, the ‘Wanderers’ will take the field in high spirits.