Wolves, bottom of the Premier League, produced a shock 2-0 victory over third-placed Aston Villa at a rain-soaked Molineux, with Joao Gomes and late substitute Rodrigo Gomes the scorers in a West Midlands derby.
The hosts showed more urgency from the start while Villa struggled to assert themselves. The opening 45 minutes was tight: Ollie Watkins saw a shot blocked, Pau Torres missed a header, and Douglas Luiz fired at Jose Sa. Wolves’ clearest chance before half-time came when Toti Gomes, returning from injury, miscued a promising opportunity.
Unai Emery tweaked his side around the hour mark to try to spark a response, but it was Wolves who broke the deadlock after a slick team move. Adam Armstrong laid the ball off into space and Joao Gomes finished confidently to put the hosts ahead. Villa pressed for an equaliser and introduced Tammy Abraham and other changes, but Wolves defended doggedly.
Deep into stoppage time a counter-attack finished by substitute Rodrigo Gomes put the result beyond doubt; Emery walked straight down the tunnel after the second goal.
The win eases some pressure on manager Rob Edwards and the club, preventing them from matching Derby’s unwanted all-time low Premier League points tally and giving home fans a rare reason to celebrate this season.
Team news: Toti Gomes returned to Wolves’ starting XI in place of the suspended Ladislav Krejci, while Joao Gomes replaced Tolu Arokodare. Villa brought Pau Torres, Lucas Digne and Jadon Sancho back into their side.
Rob Edwards described the victory as a special moment in a difficult campaign, saying it mattered to show emotion and build a connection with supporters — a night he will remember. He admitted he celebrated fully, joking about pulling a calf and damaging a board. When asked about Emery’s walk-off, Edwards said he understood the reaction and paid tribute to Emery.
Emery reflected on Villa’s season, acknowledging lofty early ambitions and a recent dip in form. He said the club had once dreamt of competing for the title but must now concentrate on securing a top-five finish and coping with pressure from rivals chasing Champions League places.
Pundits on Sky Sports highlighted Wolves’ hunger and Villa’s lack of response. Lee Hendrie warned that Villa’s season was “hanging in the balance,” and Izzy Christiansen labelled the performance “really poor,” pointing to a lack of desire and visible frustration among the players.
While Wolves remain in serious trouble in the league overall, the derby triumph offers a morale boost and disrupts Villa’s momentum ahead of their upcoming trip to Chelsea.