A feisty West Midlands derby between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa ended all square at the Molineux in the Premier League.
Wolves have become a bit of a bogey side for Aston Villa over the years with Villa’s last win coming in December 2020 and just one win in 9 meetings.
Speaking with both sets of fans prior to kick-off, neither were confident and skeptical going into the game despite both sides impressive results last weekend.
A defeat at Molineux has become like an annual event and having listened to a variety of podcasts throughout the week, the Claret and blue contigent were worried. A win would mean a place in the top four going into the dreaded second International break of the season.
Report: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Aston Villa
Unai Emery handed a start to Diego Carlos, replacing Nicolò Zaniolo in the team. Ezri Konsa was moved out on the right with Matty Cash just ahead of him as Emery attempted to nulifty Wolves biggest threat, Pedro Neto. Moussa Diaby and Boubacar Kamara were passed fit to start after missing out on the European win on Thursday.
Villa started the brighter of the two sides as Pau Torres miscued an headed effort and José Sá was equal to an effort from Cash as he turned it around the post.
The home side grew in confidence as the game went on and they began to dominate without causing any real threat to Emi Martínez. In fact, despite their dominace it was Villa who could have scored just before the break but Mario Lamina was able to block Douglas Luiz’s effort.
Villa were far from their best and looked tired at times but this is something they need to get used to if they are to progress in Europe and the game became scrappy – how i would have imaged Gary O’Neil would wanted the game to go. It was very stop-start with niggling fouls from both sides all over the pitch.
The first chance of the second half came through the visitors though when Ollie Watkins had hoped to celebrate his new contract with a goal but once again Sá was on hand to turn his effort over the bar following a John McGinn cross.
Following their dominance, Wolves finally made a breakthrough eight minutes into the second half.
Douglas Luiz was caught napping too long on the ball by Hwang Hee-chan who worked the ball to Neto who broke on the counter running at Torres. The Portuguese winger created enough space to send in a low cross for Hwang to score his fifth Premier League goal of the season.
As the home fans celebrated and the predictable chants of “s**t on the Villa” echoed around Molineux, Villa silenced their fans within two minutes.
Douglas Luiz’s whipped free-kick was cleared but the ball fell to Cash who was able to lay off Watkins. The forward sent over a delicious cross for Torres who met it at the back post to put the game all square.
There was hope that the feisty game would now see some quality but nothing really changed as the niggling fouls continued.
Wolves wanted a penalty when Neto went down from a challange by Kamara and although those of gold and black pursuasion will have different views, it was never enough for a foul, let alone a penalty in my book.
Neto continued to be the biggest threat and he probably should have scored when substitute Sasa Kalajdzic picked him out but he could only guide his effort over the cross bar.
With the fouls building up it was only a matter of time before one of the teams were reduced to 10-men and it fell to the hosts when Lemina was given his second yellow card for a foul on substitute Zaniolo.
Villa then threw everything at Wolves for the final 10 minutes with Douglas Luiz and Zaniolo coming close. They also had their only penalty shout when Watkins looked like he had been pushed when he ran through and his effort went wide of the post.
The final chance of the game fell to Watkins with the last kick of the game but his effort rebounded off the foot of the post.
Either side could have been dissapointed in the result but on the balance of play, it was probably a fair result.
What the managers said
Unai Emery: “It’s a derby and we felt it on the pitch. There are a lot of supporters with us, they are pushing, it was a great atmosphere,
“We tried to focus on the match. We reacted to the goal very quickly, it was key, and in 11 v 11 we created more chances but they had some very good transitions and chances.
“When they had a red card it was the moment where we tried to get the advantage.
“We are ambitious and very demanding. The first half we started very well but we lost a bit of control. We weren’t controlling the game and at that moment I was frustrated and upset.”
Gary O’Neil: “I thought we edged it 11 v 11, apart from the start but a point is fairish I’d suggest. We looked comfortable, there wasn’t a huge gap between the sides.
“Eight points is not a bad return, we’re managing to score goals and trying to improve.”
Up Next
Aston Villa will welcome West Ham to Villa Park following the International break on Sunday, 22nd October with a 4.30pm kick-off.
Wolves will take on manager O’Neil’s former club Bournemouth the day before.