DUNN

inspiration in this Villa side. Too often, he was dispossessed as he attempted to light some sort of flame beneath his team. Of course, his departure would be guaranteed should Villa drop into the Championship. And frankly, this was Championship form, the inability to fashion even half-chances quite startling. Wolves’ organisation, efficiency and attacking spark came as standard. And their concerted attempt to muscle into the top four, Adama Traore-style, promises to be one of the more interesting storylines of the next few weeks.

But Nuno Espirito Santo’s team really did not have to be in prime form to record their third successive post-break win.

In fact, this was a contest that lived down to Project Restart’s fairly mediocre standards.

The level was typified in one first-half moment when Orjan Nyland (left) – somehow keeping Pepe Reina on the bench – shaped to throw to the left flank, but allowed the ball to squirt to Diogo Jota.

Nyland’s distribution with hand and boot is not the best, but this was an eye-catching howler.

It must have caught Jota a little bit