Aston Villa will host Wolves at Villa Park on Saturday, looking to boost their UEFA Champions League hopes with a home win.
Aston Villa have failed to win their last two league matches, and they will be under pressure to bounce back strongly when they welcome Wolves to Villa Park on Saturday evening. Unai Emery will want his players to grind out all three points here.
Meanwhile, Wolves are ninth in the league table, and they have won four of the last six league matches. The Black Country outfit are a team in form, and they could easily pull off an upset here.
Aston Villa have a dreadful record against Wolves in recent years. They have failed to win against the fellow Midlands club in their last six meetings in all competitions. It will be interesting to see if the Villans can turn things around and grind out a victory here.
This should be an evenly-matched contest, and both teams will have to put on an impressive performance to grind out a positive result. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Aston Villa
John McGinn is suspended after seeing red against Tottenham Hotspur. Meanwhile, Boubacar Kamara, Emiliano Buendia and Tyrone Mings are ruled out for the season due to their respective long-term injuries.
The home team will start in a 4-4-2 formation, with Emiliano Martinez in goal. Matty Cash and Alex Moreno will start as the full-backs. They will look to contribute at both ends of the pitch. Ezri Konsa should feature alongside Pau Torres in the central defensive pairing.
As for the midfield unit, Douglas Luiz and Youri Tielemans will pair up in the middle of the park, and they will look to add defensive cover and control to the side. Leon Bailey and Jacob Ramsey will be deployed as the wide players. They will look to add pace, drive and flair. Finally, Ollie Watkins will lead the line alongside Moussa Diaby.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Moreno; Bailey, Tielemans, Luiz, Ramsey; Diaby, Watkins
Wolves
The visitors will be without Pedro Neto because of a thigh injury, while Hwang Hee-chan will miss out with a hamstring injury as well. Wolves will shape up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Jose Sa in goal.
In the back three, Max Kilman will start alongside Craig Dawson and Toti Gomes. Nelson Semedo and Rayan Ait-Nouri will be deployed as the wing-backs. They will look to protect the central defenders and help out during counter-attacking opportunities.
As for the midfield unit, Tommy Doyle will start alongside Boubacar Traore. They will look to add defensive cover and drive to the team. Mario Lemina and Pablo Sarabia are likely to be deployed in the attacking midfield roles, and they will add creativity in the final third. Finally, Nathan Fraser will lead the line for Wolves against Aston Villa.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Sa; Kilman, Dawson, Toti; Semedo, Doyle, Traore, Ait-Nouri; Sarabia, Lemina; Fraser
Key Stats
- Aston Villa and Wolves played out a draw earlier this season.
- Wolves and Aston Villa have both won three out of their last five matches.
- Aston Villa have lost three of their last four home games.
- Aston Villa have failed to win any of their last six matches against Wolves.
- Wolves have won each of their last seven games where they have scored first.
Player to Watch
Ollie Watkins
The 28-year-old has 16 goals and ten assists in the Premier League this season, and he has been in spectacular form. He will look to cause all sorts of problems for the Wolves defence with his creativity and finishing ability. Watkins is our key player to watch out for, and he could make all the difference for Aston Villa at the weekend.
Prediction
Aston Villa 2-1 Wolves
Aston Villa have a dreadful record against the Wolves in recent outings, but they are likely to come out on top here. The Villans are full of motivation, and they will be desperate for the top four qualification.
On the other hand, Wolves will be without key attackers like Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-chan. This is likely to be a close contest, but the home team should be able to grind out a narrow win. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for Unai Emery and his charges.