Ezri Konsa ended a memorable week by scoring his first goal since 2021 as Aston Villa overcame their bogey side and reclaimed fourth spot from Tottenham who had won earlier in the day.
Konsa, who won his first England caps against Brazil and Belgium in the recent international break, sealed Villa’s win with a dinked cross that was intended for Jhon Duran at the far post but sailed over Jose Sa instead.
His fortuitous goal midway through the second half added to Moussa Diaby’s power-packed opener and ensured Villa enjoyed their first win over Wolves in seven attempts, and their first at Villa Park in the Premier League since a young Gareth Barry scored in 2003.
The only cloud was a disappointing evening for Konsa’s England team-mate Ollie Watkins who missed a good chance before the interval and didn’t reappear for the second half.
Wolves showed plenty of promise with 18-year-old Leon Chiwome making his Premier League debut up front but their season is in danger of petering out in mid-table.
Moussa Diaby opened the scoring for Aston Villa with a thunderbolt from the edge of the box
Villa forward Diaby put the finishing touch to a well-worked set piece in the 36th minute
Spurs’ late winner against Luton had temporarily knocked Villa out of the guaranteed Champions League places.
But surprisingly given what was at stake, it was the visitors who started the more brightly.
They also had the best chance in the opening 20 minutes when Santiago Bueno’s cross reached Rayan Ait-Nouri at the far post before the defender’s shot was blocked by Emi Martinez’s left leg.
Watkins, whose Euro place has been questioned after drawing a couple of blanks for his country, had a glorious chance to bounce back after 28 minutes when he was released by Youri Tielemans.
If filled with confidence, he might have taken the chance first time. Instead, he delayed as Santiago Bueno came across, and his touch took him wide so the final shot hit the side-netting.
Moussa Diaby showed him how to finish eight minutes later following a move that looked suspiciously like it had been put together by set-piece coach Austin MacPhee.
Leon Bailey checked his run on the left flank until the last moment so he was onside when Douglas Luiz’s free-kick was chipped into him.
Erzi Konsa sealed the win for Villa when his miscued cross drifted in off the far post
Douglas Luiz had the ball in the net but Ollie Watkins was offside in the build-up
The winger’s cross was blocked but only half-cleared to Diaby on the edge of the box and the French international had the composure to wait for the ball to arrive before firing unerringly past Sa.
The ‘keeper’s dive took him close to saving but the shot was packed with too much power.
It was the Frenchman’s eighth goal of a season that has blown hot and cold since completing a club record £52million signing from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.
Watkins didn’t reappear for the second half with Jhon Duran on in his place.
Wolves had been sporadic in attack though over-elaboration at the back from Alex Moreno gave them a sniff after 56 minutes which ended with Lemina’s header at Martinez. Tommy Doyle wasted a free-kick in a half-decent position.
Chiwome final had his big chance after he outmuscled Diego Carlos in the box but the Villa defender did well to recover with a sliding tackle as the rookie was about to shoot.
Unai Emery sent on Lucas Digne and Nicolo Zaniolo midway through the second half to try and keep Villa’s control of the game. O’Neil introduced Hugo Bueno to try and break it up. There was no doubt the Spaniard won that particular battle.
The substitutes had barely arrived when Zaniolo found Diaby who moved the ball on to Konze. The overlapping right-back tried to dink a cross to Duran at the far post but caught it with the wrong part of his foot and it lofted at an angle over Sa’s head into the corner.
England striker Ollie Watkins was withdrawn at half-time against Wolves on Saturday
Rayan Ait-Nouri wasted a great chance for the visitors in the first-half at Villa Park
It was the defender’s first goal since netting an unlikely double against Leicester two years and four months ago.
With the game gone, O’Neill made a late triple substitution introducing Nathan Fraser, Boubacar Traoré and Matt Doherty – and it was Doherty who came closest to a consolation with a header.
O’Neil is highly-rated as a coach with Manchester United reportedly among his admirers.
But like most managers, he needs his best players Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan back from injury.
