MATCH FACTS Dendoncker is a Dean dunker LEANDER KEEPS SMITH IN THE DROP-ZONE MIRE
IT’S the season that never ends for Wolves – but, at this rate, boss Nuno Espirito Santo won’t want it to. Three wins since football returned, seven clean sheets out of their last eight – and now just one victory behind third-placed Leicester City in the Premier League table.
They can’t, can they?
Six matches left – as far as their domestic programme is concerned – and, thanks to Leander Dendoncker’s firm drive at Villa Park, they are now right in the mix for Champions League
■ Wolves have completed a league double over Aston Villa for the first time since 1962-63.
■ Wolves are unbeaten in Premier League games this season that have been level at qualification. To the men from Molineux, it must seem like an age since they kicked off their campaign more than 11 months ago with a Europa League tie against Crusaders.
But they have a tried-andtrusted formula, a tried-andtrusted team and a tried-and-trusted manager.
It’s been irresistible.
With an absence of injuries to their key players, here they are, mounting a late charge for the top four.
This was their 51st match of the campaign. And Villa played right into the visitors’ hands.
Without the raucous backing of their home support in a derby where the two sets of fans have no love for each other, Dean Smith’s men were one-paced and lacked teeth.
It enabled Wolves to do what they do. Retain and recycle possession, knowing that, sooner or later, they could pounce for the kill. Nuno even half-time (W4 D8 L0), the only side with such an unbeaten record in the division. ■ Aston Villa have scored just two goals in their last six Premier League games. had the luxury of leaving man-of-the-moment Adama Traore on the bench.
The former Barcelona trainee, who was on Villa’s books five years ago, has returned from lockdown with an added spring in his step.
Traore has used his pace to devastating effect in victories over West Ham and Bournemouth in the past week.
And he needed just three minutes on the pitch as a second-half substitute to unsettle Villa’s defence and provide the spark of inspiration for the winner.
It was his intervention that spread the ball wide to Raul Jimenez. The striker played it into the middle. Jonny made a nuisance of himself and the ball fell to Dendoncker (left, with Nuno), who controlled before rifling into the bottom corner.
The Belgian was deployed to keep Jack Grealish quiet, but he sprang forward menacingly a couple of times prior to his goal and Villa paid the price.
It was little more than Wolves deserved.
As for Villa, boss Smith is struggling to solve a puzzle.
His side conceded goals aplenty before the enforced break. Clearly, during that spell the manager has worked on organising his defence, turning them into a coherent unit.
Unfortunately, that has detracted from Villa’s potency as an attacking force.
The tactics may have changed, but results haven’t.