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This is a clash between two teams with European qualification hopes. Wolverhampton and Villa face off with both teams desperate for a win.
Wolverhampton and Aston Villa will meet in the 30th round of the 2023-24 English Premier League (PL) season at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on May 31 at 2:30 a.m. ET. Wolverhampton are currently ninth in the table with 41 points (12 W, 5 D, 11 L), while Aston Villa are fourth with 56 points (17 W, 5 D, 7 L).
Head-to-head, Wolverhampton has the advantage. Wolverhampton are unbeaten in their last six Premier League matches against Aston Villa (W3 D3 L3). The last time Aston Villa won against Wolverhampton was in December 2020. That’s a whopping four years ago. They played to a 1-1 draw in the eighth round this season.
3: ‘I’m injured too!’ Managers of both teams struggle with lineup selection
These are two teams with some heavy moods. They’ve been hit by one injury after another. Wolverhampton lost Hwang Hee-Chan. He started 19 of their 22 games this season. His stats are good. He scored double-digit goals (10) for the first time since joining the PL. Add in his three assists and he has 13 offensive points. However, a hamstring injury has left Wolverhampton without their ace forward. His return is expected in mid-April.
Pedro Neto also has a hamstring injury. He’s the team’s main source of assists (9). His expected return date is in May, so it’s possible that he won’t be able to play official matches for the rest of the season. Jean-Lucas Bellegarde has an ankle injury and Craig Dawson has a groin injury and is doubtful for the trip to Villa.
It’s a tough situation, but there is some good news. Mateusz Cunha is close to returning after going down with an injury in February. He returned to training this week and was welcomed back by the Wolverhampton fans. Cunha has 15 offensive points (9 goals, 6 assists) this season, forming a good synergy with Hwang and Netou. Cunha’s return could motivate Wolverhampton to push for European competition once again.
Meanwhile, things are not looking good for Villa. Tyrone Mings and Emiliano Buendia have been confirmed out for the season. Boubacar Camara is also out with a knee injury and is unlikely to return this season. Matty Cash also suffered a hamstring injury during the A-Match. Jacob Ramsey is also a doubt for the upcoming games with an ankle injury.
On top of that, captain John McGinn was sent off in the last game against Tottenham, so he’ll be out against Wolverhampton. Thus, Villa have lost all of their key midfield resources.
5: ‘I can see the big game!’ Clearly motivated by a clear goal
The UEFA Champions League (UCL) has been reorganized, meaning that the fifth-place PL team can now qualify for the UCL. Both teams have nine rounds to play, including this round, but their points tally and recent form should be enough to qualify them for Europe.
Wolverhampton are currently just three points behind seventh-placed West Ham (44 points), with Brighton in between, but Wolverhampton have the easier remaining fixtures. Brighton have to face Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Man City. Wolverhampton, on the other hand, have tricky opponents, but if they can get through their upcoming games against Villa and Arsenal next month, they should be able to rack up enough points.
Wolverhampton finished seventh in both the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. If they manage to defend their seventh-place finish this season, it will be their first in four seasons. On the other hand, Unai Emery’s Villa will be looking for their first UCL appearance since being promoted in the 2019-20 season. They’ve been sitting in fourth place, but a loss to Tottenham in their last game has caused some anxiety, and they also have to face Man City and Arsenal.
Wolverhampton strong away from home, Villa in a shaky mood
With a clear sense of purpose, Wolverhampton have been strong despite their injury problems. Since their 2-1 home win over Chelsea on Christmas Eve, Wolverhampton have amassed a lot of points (22). That’s behind Manchester City (29 points), Liverpool (25 points), and Arsenal (22 points). They are also unbeaten away from home with four wins and two draws in their last six games.
Villa, on the other hand, have only won one of their last four games in all competitions. However, that win came at Villa Park. They beat Ajax 4-0 in the second leg of their UCLC round of 16 tie to reach the quarterfinals.
As such, both teams will enter this round with similar motivation in a different atmosphere. Wolverhampton were strong at Villa Park. Even without Hwang and Neto, it will be interesting to see if they can continue their dominant head-to-head record against Villa.