WATCH FOR OUR THOUGHTS AHEAD OF WOLVES VS ASTON VILLA
TEAM NEWS
Wolves will be without striker Jorgen Strand Larsen after he picked up a muscle injury against Arsenal last week. Joao Gomes is also unavailable as he’s suspended following his red card in that match.
Aston Villa’s right-back Matty Cash is out for at least three weeks, with recent signing Andres Garcia among the possible replacements. Tyrone Mings, Amadou Onana, and Ross Barkley remain sidelined.
PRESS CONFERENCE: VITOR PEREIRA
Pereira said Jorgen Strand Larsen, who went off against Arsenal, is out with a muscle injury.
On whether he will change his system because of that injury, Pereira said: “If we build a system, build a style of play or a game model around one player that will be a disaster for us. We must improve our qualities, our dynamic in our game mode, the way that we start to work since the first day. We can play with another striker, different qualities, different connections with the other players, different movements.”
He added that Boubacar Traore has flu.
On January and transfers, he told reporters: “Our priority is still the same, a midfielder and a centre-back. The club is working on it, I hope, until the end of the window and we can bring someone.”
Pereira was asked if he would be comfortable with what he has if they can’t bring someone in and said: “If I stay like this I will do my best for sure but the club knows that we need to increase the level.”
Speaking about Matheus Cunha Pereira said: “He is doing good work, trying to come back to his potential and I’m happy with the work. I hope he can help us in the next game.”
He was also asked about his midfield options, with Joao Gomes suspended, and said: “I will play with another one [midfielder] and the player will try to do for sure the best to help us.”
Pereira says he hopes Wolves can make their supporters proud: “I play in my career a lot of derbies, big derbies and every time when I go to a country they say to me ‘this is the most incredible derby in the world’. Of course I understand. It’s important for us to play with our supporters. I hope we get a good result and hope that we can make proud our supporters.”
MATCH STATS & FACTS
Head-to-head
Aston Villa won the reverse fixture 3-1 and are vying to achieve the league double over Wolves for the first time since the 2003-04 season.
Wolves have won five of the past seven league meetings at Molineux, with their only defeat during that period coming in the top flight in December 2020.
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolves earned seven points from their first three league matches under Vitor Pereira but are now in danger of losing five in a row for the second time this season.
They have conceded a league-high 19 goals from set pieces this season, excluding penalties.
The Black Country side have let in an unrivalled 28 second-half goals in the top flight this season.
Wolves’ average of 2.26 goals conceded per league game is their worst since 1932-33.
They have committed 303 fouls in the Premier League during the current campaign, second only to Bournemouth’s 309 after 23 matches.
Aston Villa
Villa are winless in their past six league games following Champions League fixtures, with three home draws and three away defeats.
Their only win in seven top-flight away matches, and only clean sheet in 13, came against Everton on 15 January.
However, they are yet to lose a Premier League fixture under Unai Emery against a side starting the day in the relegation zone (W13, D5).
Aston Villa have dropped points in five of the past nine Premier League games in which they led at half-time (W4, D4, L1).
The Villans have conceded 11 goals after the 75th minute in the current campaign, second only to Southampton’s tally of 12.
Villa, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool have scored a joint-high eight Premier League headed goals this season prior to the weekend fixtures.
This season, Ollie Watkins has missed a league-high 19 of his 28 big chances – defined as a situation in which a player is expected to score.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Andy Madley. Assistants: Nick Hopton, Craig Taylor. Fourth official: Tim Robinson. VAR: Matt Donohue. Assistant VAR: Wade Smith.
MATCH INFO
Kick off is Saturday 1st February at 5.30pm and is live on Sky Sports in the UK.