Aston Villa go in search of back-to-back victories on Saturday evening, making the short trip across the Midlands to Molineux, to take on Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Unai Emery's side secured their place in the last 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday night with a thrilling 4-2 victory over Celtic at Villa Park.
They now look to make it six games unbeaten in the Premier League, after being pegged back to a 1-1 draw at home to West Ham United last Sunday.
They face a Wolves outfit under new management, following Vítor Pereira's appointment just before Christmas, his side currently sat 18th in the Premier League table.
Wolves started strongly after his arrival, with wins against Leicester City and Manchester United, though have now taken just one point from their last five league outings, losing their last four.
The Villans are unbeaten in their last three meetings with Saturday's hosts, having won their last two, though have only won once on their last five Premier League visits to Molineux, in 2020.
Stats
Ollie Watkins has been involved in 15+ Premier League goals in each of his last three seasons (21 in 2022/23, 32 in 2023/24, 15 in 2024/25), with 10 goals and five assists in the current campaign. He’s one of three Aston Villa players to achieve that in three consecutive seasons, after Dwight Yorke (1995/96 to 1997/98) and Gabriel Agbonlahor (2007/08 to 2009/10).
Only Tottenham’s Dominic Solanke (237) has made more runs into the opposition penalty area in the Premier League this season than Wolves’ Jørgen Strand Larsen (210), with 80 of Strand Larsen’s runs targeted by a pass, the most of any player.
Wolves have conceded 303 fouls in the Premier League this season, with only Bournemouth committing more (309). The 20 fouls they conceded against Arsenal was their most in a top-flight game since May 2023 against Aston Villa (also 20).
Aston Villa won 22 of the first 25 Premier League games in which they led at half-time under Unai Emery (D1 L2) but have gone on to win just four of their last nine (D4 L1), including a 1-1 draw last time out against West Ham.
In 23 Premier League games this season, Wolves have conceded 52 goals. At 2.26 goals against per game, this is their worst average in a league season since 1932/33 (96 in 42 games, 2.29).
Wolves have shipped 19 set piece goals (excl. pens) this season, the most of any Premier League side. The earliest a side has conceded 20 set piece goals in a single campaign is 25 games (Tottenham in 2007-08).
Aston Villa are yet to lose a Premier League match under Unai Emery against a side starting the day in the drop zone (W13 D5), while overall Emery has lost just one out of 29 games against sides in 18th, 19th or 20th, losing 3-2 to Southampton with Arsenal in December 2018.
Wolves picked up seven points in their first three Premier League games under Vitor Pereira (W2 D1) but have since lost four in a row. They’ve already lost five consecutively once this season, under previous manager Gary O’Neil – the only team to have separate runs of 5+ defeats in a row under different managers in a season and survive relegation was West Ham in 2006/07 (Alan Pardew & Alan Curbishley).
Aston Villa won the reverse fixture 3-1 at Villa Park – they’ve not done the league double over Wolves since the 2003/04 campaign.
Having lost three of their first four Premier League home games against Aston Villa (D1), Wolves have now lost just one of their last five against them at Molineux (W3 D1).
The Last Meeting
Villa will be looking to secure a league double over Wolves, after triumphing 3-1 at Villa Park in the last meeting between the two sides, back in September.
Matheus Cunha gave the visitors the lead after 25 minutes, firing into the bottom corner from the edge of the area to put his team ahead at half-time.
But Villa rallied after the break, Ollie Watkins dragging them level 17 minutes from time.
Ezri Konsa struck in the 88th minute to deservedly edge the hosts in front, before Jhon Durán struck in the fourth minute of stoppage time to seal the three points.
It was a fourth win in a row in all competitions for the Villans, and lifted them up to third in the Premier League table.
Team News
Andrés García could be in line to make his Aston Villa debut at Molineux, after Matty Cash was withdrawn with injury half an hour into Wednesday's Champions League win.
Unai Emery confirmed the Polish international would be missing for three to four weeks, while Tyrone Mings needs "some more days" to be ready to play, as he continues to recover from a "small injury" sustained against West Ham. Ross Barkley continues to train alone on his road to recovery, though is set to join back with his team-mates in the coming days and weeks.
Wolves will be without Jørgen Strand Larsen who went off with a muscle injury in last week's defeat at home to Arsenal, and João Gomes, who is suspended, having been sent off against the Gunners.
Vítor Pereira also confirmed Boubacar Traore would miss the game with the flu, while Sasa Kalajdzic, Enso Gonzalez, Yerson Mosquera and Carlos Forbs all remain sidelined with knee injuries, meaning fit-again Toti Gomes could be recalled to start in defence.
Managers' Pre-Match Thoughts
“The challenge is to compete, respecting them. To adapt as well, how we have to face them with their tactical idea, with their gameplan, with their individual skills. And of course, we have to try to dominate with our idea.”
Unai Emery
“I play in my career a lot of derbies, big derbies, and every time, when I go to a country, they say to me 'this is the most incredible derby in the world'. Of course, I understand. It's important for us to play with our supporters. I hope we get a good result and hope that we can make proud our supporters.”
Vítor Pereira