Aston Villa take on Wolves after UCL win over Young Boys.

2024-09-17

Aston Villa, buoyed by a triumphant Champions League debut and seeking their third consecutive Premier League victory, welcome a struggling Wolves side desperate to escape the relegation zone in a tantalizing clash at Villa Park this Saturday.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa made a strong impression in their debut of the revamped UEFA Champions League, securing a 3-0 victory over Young Boys on Tuesday night. Unai Emery dedicated this win to Gary Shaw, who had passed away a day earlier, as a tribute to his contributions to Villa's 1981 league title and 1982 European Cup success.

"This victory is for Gary Shaw; we can't follow a Champions League win like they did 42 years ago. We want to celebrate this victory for him and the whole family of Villa," Emery shared with TNT Sport after the match. The victory marked back-to-back wins for Villa across two competitions, setting a positive tone ahead of their Saturday clash with Wolves.

Before the midweek triumph, Jhon Durán's remarkable 30-yard screamer secured a 3-2 win over Everton, making it the game of the weekend. Emery aims to guide Villa to four consecutive wins and a third successive Premier League victory against Wolves, a team they defeated in their last league encounter in March.

While Jhon Durán has been making impressive impacts off the bench, Ollie Watkins, who scored twice in the previous match, is expected to continue as Emery's first choice in attack within the 4-2-3-1 formation.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

The Wanderers are coming off a 3-2 loss to Brighton in an EFL Cup clash on Wednesday, which knocked them out of the competition in the third round. Back in the Premier League, Wolves surrendered a one-goal lead against Newcastle United, ultimately losing 2-1 after a stunning goal by Harvey Barnes [80’] sealed the comeback for the Magpies.

This defeat marked their third loss of the season, leaving the Wolves with only a point [LLDL] and positioned in 18th place on the table. While it's still early in the Premier League season, Gary O’Neil will be eager to lift his side out of the bottom three as they prepare to visit Villa Park.

The team is enduring a challenging run with just one victory in their last fourteen Premier League games [1W, 3D, 10L]. Additionally, the Wanderers are winless in their past seven league matches [0W, 1D, 6L]. Gary O’Neil is hopeful that Saturday’s fixture at Villa Park will serve as a turning point for his team.

A 4-2-3-1 formation, featuring Jørgen Strand Larsen in attack, is expected for this weekend's encounter.