sport news Wolves 1-0 Aston Villa: Toti Gomes' ninth-minute strike proves the difference trends now
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Bottom of the table at Christmas, Wolves secured the victory that will surely guarantee safety and with it dealt a huge blow to Aston Villa’s hopes of European football next season.
An early header from Toti Gomes was enough to lift Wolves to 40 points and ensure they buried the memory of last weekend’s 6-0 defeat at Brighton. This result completes a fine job for Julen Lopetegui but for his fellow Basque Unai Emery, Villa have lost rhythm at just the wrong time.
Ollie Watkins and Tyrone Mings wasted excellent chances for the visitors, who had most of the play but could not make it count when it mattered, as Wolves defended their box as if their lives depended on it, and Diego Costa produced a ferocious performance in attack.
Lopetegui celebrated extravagantly at full-time, sinking to his knees and shouting ‘Vamos’ in the direction of the directors’ box.
Toti Gomes' goal (centre) in the opening ten minutes proved the difference as Wolves held firm
Julen Lopetegui has surely guaranteed safety for his side after a nervy spell at at the start of the year for the Black Country outfit
Ruben Neves could scarcely conceal his delight after the hard-fought victory was confirmed
After the hammering on the south coast, Wolves needed a reaction and they had it within 10 minutes. Tyrone Mings could not climb high enough to clear Ruben Neves’ corner and Toti powered home a header off the bar.
Then Jose Sa stopped Wolves losing their lead instantly when Ollie Watkins found Emi Buendia and Sa flew to his right to turn the Argentine’s angled effort behind.
The pattern was set: Villa knocked at the door, Wolves held it shut. Watkins’ overhead-kick fell just wide and then Villa’s top scorer put a close-range header straight at Sa after Mings had released Jacob Ramsey on the left. That should have been 1-1.
Diego Costa is eyeing a new deal at Wolves, presumably to have more scraps like the one with Mings not long before half-time. There was little in the incident and it was settled with a high-five a hug, though both players were booked.
