Wolves 2-0 Aston Villa: two "Gomes" score for the bottom club as Villa succumb

The final score is Wolves 2-0 Aston Villa. Wolves stunned the title contender Villa with a huge hit. 

Match Report:

Villa approached Friday's West Midlands derby having only won one of their last four Premier League games, ceding momentum to Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool in the battle for Champions League qualification.

And things got worse for them as they suffered a deserved defeat against Rob Edwards' men, who can now no longer break Derby County's record for the fewest points earned in a Premier League season (11 in 2007-08, Wolves now on 13).

Villa had the best chances of the first half, even if Wolves' general play was more impressive. Pau Torres sent a poor header wide, and after Toti Gomes volleyed off-target, Douglas Luiz tested Jose Sa from Matty Cash's cross.

But Wolves took the lead via a well-worked goal in the 61st minute, with Joao Gomes lashing off the underside of the crossbar after Adam Armstrong redirected Jackson Tchatchoua's pass into his path.

Villa threw men forward in search of an equaliser, but their best opportunity saw Amadou Onana denied by a superb goal-line block from Yerson Mosquera, and they were then caught out on the counter-attack.

After Mateus Mane released Joao Gomes into the area in the 98th minute, the Brazilian's effort ricocheted off Rogers and fell to Rodrigo Gomes, who finished on the turn.

Villa remain third in the Premier League table but could now be overtaken by Manchester United this weekend, while Wolves are 14 points adrift of Nottingham Forest in 17th.

Data Debrief: Emery's Molineux hoodoo continues

These two rivals are in very different places at present, with Wolves seemingly doomed to relegation and Villa hoping to be playing Champions League football in 2026-27.

But Unai Emery has never found a way to win at Molineux, overseeing one draw and three defeats in four trips to Wolves as a Premier League manager.

Villa have only lost two of their 26 Premier League games against teams starting the day inside the relegation zone under Emery, and both have been 2-0 defeats at Wolves (also in February 2025).

Wolves had two players with a shared surname to thank, as Joao Gomes ended a run of 37 Premier League appearances without a goal and Rodrigo Gomes scored Wolves' second-latest goal in the competition on record (97:09, after Hwang Hee-chan, 98:04 versus Man Utd in 2024).

Villa had 14 shots to Wolves' nine, also edging the expected goals (xG) battle by 1.06 to 0.92, but the hosts led the way for big chances (three to two), and crucially, they made them count.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

4' Highlight from Wolves vs Aston Villa

15' Highlight from Wolves vs Aston Villa

18' Match Event for Wolves vs Aston Villa

60' Highlight from Wolves vs Aston Villa

61' GOAL! Wolves 1-0 Aston Villa (João Gomes)

78' Highlight from Wolves vs Aston Villa

90+8' GOAL! Wolves 2-0 Aston Villa(Rodrigo Gomes)

Line-ups

Wolves XI: Jose Sa, Adam Armstrong, Santiago Bueno, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, Toti Gomes, Hugo Bueno, Yerson Mosquera, João Gomes, André, Jackson Tchatchoua, Mateus Mané

Subs: Doherty, Sam Johnstone, Angel Gomes, David Møller Wolfe, Tolu Arokodare, Rodrigo Gomes, Saheed Olagunju, Pedro Lima, Tom Edozie

Aston Villa XI: E. Martinez, Digne, Ollie Watkins, Buendia, P. Torres, Ngoyo, Matty Cash, Douglas Luiz, Sancho, Morgan Rogers, Amadou Onana

Subs: Lindelof, Marco Bizot, Barkley, Mings, Abraham, Bailey, Maatsen, Lamare Bogarde, Alysson