EPL: Wolves Stun Aston Villa with 2-0 Victory to Boost Survival Hopes

Wolverhampton Wanderers secured a vital 2-0 victory over Aston Villa, thanks to goals from Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Matheus Cunha, to boost their Premier League survival hopes.

Wolverhampton Wanderers secured a crucial 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Molineux, breathing new life into their Premier League survival hopes. The win marked a welcome reversal of fortunes for Wolves, who had suffered four consecutive league defeats prior to this encounter. Aston Villa, on the other hand, have now managed just one win from their last six visits to Molineux.

The traveling Aston Villa fans were in high spirits following their team's progression to the UEFA Champions League's last 16, but their side's record of just one win from six matches following midweek European games was a cause for concern. Unai Emery's team had previously secured a 3-1 victory over Wolves in the reverse fixture, but this time around, they were unable to replicate that success.

Wolverhampton Wanderers made a dream start to the match, taking the lead in the 12th minute through Jean-Ricner Bellegarde's first goal at Molineux. The hosts' neat build-up play exposed vulnerabilities in the Villa defense, allowing Bellegarde to dart into the box and send a low drive into the near post. With their noses in front, Wolves continued to press for more goals, creating numerous opportunities as Villa struggled to gain a foothold in the match.

The first half ended with Wolves firmly in control, having dominated proceedings and limited Villa's attacking opportunities. The hosts' energetic display and clinical finishing ultimately proved too much for Aston Villa, who were unable to mount a significant challenge in the second half. The 2-0 victory marked a vital three points for Wolverhampton Wanderers, boosting their survival hopes and leaving Aston Villa to ponder a disappointing defeat.

Goalscorer Jean-Ricner Bellegarde continued to pose a threat to Aston Villa's defense, delivering two dangerous crosses in quick succession that were cut out by the visitors. Shortly after, Matheus Cunha found himself one-on-one with Emiliano Martinez, but his delayed shot was too close to the goalkeeper, allowing Martinez to make the save. Guedes, who had been entrusted with a starting role, sent the follow-up effort wide and continued to struggle with his finishing, stroking another shot off-target when through on goal and hitting a subsequent effort straight at Martinez.

Unai Emery made four changes at halftime, signaling his intent to turn the match around. Ten minutes into the second half, it seemed as though his tactical adjustments had paid off when Donyell Malen thought he had scored his first goal for the club. A well-executed set-piece routine saw Leon Bailey slide a free-kick into John McGinn, whose low cross found Malen in the box for a tap-in. However, after a VAR consultation, the would-be equalizer was ruled out for a dubious offside in the build-up, dealing a significant blow to Villa's hopes of a comeback.

Wolves end their five-match winless run! 🐺#WOLAVL pic.twitter.com/YpZQRrKtdE

— Premier League (@premierleague) February 1, 2025

Aston Villa improved significantly after the break, conceding fewer chances as Wolves absorbed some pressure. The visitors managed to create a few opportunities, with Bailey seeing a low shot blocked by Emmanuel Agbadou via an Ian Maatsen cut-back. Jose Sa was called into action to deny Malen, but the Wolves goalkeeper remained largely untroubled for the remainder of the match. In stoppage time, Cunha sealed the points for Wolves with a clinical breakaway goal, carrying the ball towards goal and firing home a low shot to secure a vital 2-0 victory.

The defeat marked Aston Villa's seventh away league match without a win (D1, L6), highlighting their struggles on the road. This loss also represented the first time under Emery that Villa have been beaten by a side starting in the bottom three (W13, D5). As a result, Villa remain eighth in the league table, while Wolves climb out of the relegation zone, two points ahead of 18th-placed Leicester City.