Wolves dance around Villa
Birmingham, June 28: Wolverhampton Wanderers moved into fifth place in the English Premier League thanks to midfielder Leander Dendoncker’s second-half goal to win at local rival Aston Villa 1-0 on Saturday.
A fifth win from six league games sent Wolves above Manchester United and two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea in the race for a Champions League place next season. Chelsea and United have a game in hand on Wolves.
Meanwhile, 19th-placed Villa stayed in serious relegation trouble after taking two points from six matches.
Coach Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolves side is both attractive going forward and hard to break down, registering an 11th clean sheet of the season.
Winger Adama Traore helped to set up the goal one minute after replacing striker Diogo Jota.
Traore found space in midfield, turned and broke two tackles before spraying the ball wide to forward Raul Jimenez down the left. Jimenez whipped in a cross which Spaniard Jonny flicked to Dendoncker, who pushed the ball onto his left foot before rifling it past goalkeeper Orjan Nyland.
Nyland almost gifted Wolves the lead with a bizarre error near the end of the first half.
LEEDS EARN 3-0 WIN OVER FULHAM
Leeds returned to the top of the English Championship with a convincing 3-0 home win against promotion rivals Fulham on Saturday. Patrick Bamford gave Leeds an early lead at before second-half goals from substitute Ezgjan Alioski and Jack Harrison took them three points clear of West Brom.
Only the top two clubs at the end of the regular season are guaranteed promotion to the Premier League. West Brom are still five points clear of Brentford.