Next up, Villa head to The Molineux looking to bounce back after disappointing defeats to Brighton and West Ham.
Dean Smith will be hoping, like supporters, that the recent unexpected break will have refocused the squad into finding its early season form.
Villa had their recent game with Newcastle called off following an outbreak of Covid-19 in Steve Bruce’s squad.
Ahead of our Match Preview and Team News (1 Hour before kick off), here are the key facts ahead of Wolves v Villa:
KEY FACTS
- Early kick off warning – Don’t get caught out for this one: the game starts at 12:30pm (GMT)!
- Despite some clubs allowing a small proportion of fans back into grounds – this game will be played without supporters present.
- Villa have slipped to 12th after back-to-back defeats against Brighton and West Ham.
- Smith will be mindful that Villa have lost four of the last five games.
- However, Villa have won three of the last four away from Villa Park, keeping a clean sheet in each victory.
- Only Spurs and Chelsea have more than Villa’s four clean sheets this season.
- Wolves have no clean sheets in their last four matches.
- Wolves’ form is mixed, with 2 draws, defeats and wins in the last six.
- A win could take Villa as high as seventh in the Premier League.
- Wolves could leap as high as fifth with a victory.
- Wolves will be looking to get back to winning ways as well, having lost to Champions Liverpool last weekend.
- Villa have had a 12 day break afte the Newcastle game was postponed due to Coronavirus outbreaks in the Geordie camp.
- Wolves are hosting the game at The Molineux – they have conceded the fewest home goals in the Premier League this term.
- Villa’s defence is leaking at the moment – having shipped two goals in four of the last five games.
- Raul Jimenez misses out for the hosts, he’s recovering from a fractured skull having been an every present since 2019.
- Wolves opted to go without a recognised striker against Liverpool – and are expected to repeat this and play Podence through the middle.
- Ross Barkley is expected to sit this one out having not yet recovered from a hamstring injury.
- Trezeguet has the most Premier League attempts without a goal this season – 22.
- Wolves’ Ruben Neves is second in the miss chart, with 17 efforts with no return.
- Both Trezeguet and Neves scored in this encounter last season.
- Jack Grealish has played a direct part in 10 of Villa’s goals this term.
- Tom Heaton and Wesley remain unavailable as they continue their return to match fitness after serious knee injuries.
- Hause, Davies and Guilbert are all listed as doubtful to feature.
- The invisible man Bjorn Engels is reportedly fit after overcoming a thigh injury.
- Wolves did the double over Villa last season, something that Smith will obviously be looking to avoid.
- But they haven’t won 3 in a row at home in the league against Villa since 1960.
- Villa also have their highest haul of early season goals (20) since 1960.
- Ollie Watkins remains our biggest threat: he’s scored 6 in 9 appearances.
- Villa have scored 8 goals in the last 5 matches.
- The game will be screened on BT Sport (Subscription Required).
- More: Match Preview & Team News (Available 12th December 2020)
- Wolves v Villa: Follow Live Match Updates Here
NEWSLETTER
Don’t forget to SIGN UP to our 100% FREE Villa Newsletter.
A decade of Villa News to your inbox – JOIN TODAY!
Want to help even more? Please Donate
Embed from Getty Images