As it happened: Wolves 0-1 Aston Villa

This is James Wynn signing off, see you next time!

In a game plagued by cards aplenty, it was Anwar El Ghazi's stoppage time that won the game to propel Villa into eighth with a game in hand. 

For Wolves, another disappointing performance and result means plenty of questions will be asked in the coming days. 

A sweet, sweet victory at Molineux! 😆#WOLAVL pic.twitter.com/kvDJ9M9uJK

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) December 12, 2020

You have to make Wolves favourites for this now.

Dendoncker meets Neto's cross, but the Argentinian goalkeeper denies him brilliantly. 

He never looked at home at Molineux in a loan spell 2015-16, but the keeper has impressed for Villa this season. 

Nuno will surely be considering pushing Wolves further forward to try and nick a goal to win it. 

The Brazilian can consider himself very lucky.

The striker's first time shot goes past Martinez and looks to be his first Wolves goal but it comes back off the post. Wolves getting closer.

Watkins picks up the ball inside the area, his shot is deflected by Coady and looks to be creeping in before Patricio gets a strong hand on it to divert it behind for the corner. 

Grealish, perhaps noting Patricio's issue with free-kicks going in at his near post, has a go but his effort hits the top of the net. 

Picking the ball up on the right hand side, the Portugal international dribbled across the pitch and fired just past Martinez's far post.

Wolves seem happy to allow Villa to have most of the ball, but do look dangerous on the counter. 

Grealish tries to cut inside Coady but can't, so he lays it off to Luiz who fires just wide. 

The Wolves skipper needs a change of shirt but is ok to continue. 

Back underway at Molineux for the second 45, with neither manager making a change.

Both sides will be thinking they can win this one. 

The 18-year-old has linked up well with Neto and Podence, and provided the focal point Wolves lacked so badly at Anfield. 

It's been a cagey half plagued by niggly fouls by both sides, but Wolves have probably had the better of the chances. 

Handbags then break out between Dendoncker and Grealish. Turning into a derby game at long last, this. 

Wolves won't want this half to end now. 

Moutinho wins the ball back in midfield and sets Neto away, who then sets up his countryman Podence on the edge of the area. His shot is deflected wide by Mings. 

Matty Cash pulls back Pedro Neto as he looked to be away down the left hand side. 

Cash will now miss Villa's next game against Burnley on Thursday. 

Villa had a shout for a penalty when the ball struck Saiss' elbow, but nothing was given. 

The Brazilian clipped Fabio Silva as he looked to be away from his man.

The former Wolves goalkeeper has impressed for Villa since joining in September. 

🟣 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 🟣

This is how we line up to face Wolves this afternoon… #WOLAVL pic.twitter.com/IPA0U8mfI3

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) December 12, 2020

Here's how Wolves line-up for this afternoon's @premierleague fixture against @AVFCOfficial. #WOLAVL

🐺📋 pic.twitter.com/S30Z8v05KG

— Wolves (@Wolves) December 12, 2020

Molineux is ready for its first game in three weeks:

Ready to go at Molineux. #WOLAVL

🐺🦁 pic.twitter.com/VGDrla6Dnr

— Wolves (@Wolves) December 12, 2020

The two teams will be announced shortly. It will be interesting to see how they line up!

If you want to follow online, VAVEL is your best option!

"They've lost some big players with Jota going to Liverpool and Raul Jimenez with the unfortunate head injury. They're still a very good team with some very good players.

"It's always a concern that a team who very rarely gets beat by that margin will be smarting and looking forward to this game to put things right."

"It's our job to try to create something that is impossible to do, the presence of fans to engage the players to their actions during the game. With fans, it's totally different, the energy they give you, the push, it's an element to overcome. This is our job, to try and make the players ready for the game.

"What I make of Aston Villa is they're a very good team with a very good manager. They're full of talented players, it's a good squad, and they've been playing good football. This is our focus, not how the team is, we know we're going to face a tough opponent.

"It's a game that will require consistency through the actions, be a unit, compact and take advantage when we have the ball, with the talented players we have, having good possession, unbalancing Villa. It's an enthusiastic game, a derby, so they're always special."
 

The on-loan Chelsea midfielder has missed two games with a hamstring injury, but is expecting to return to action against Burnley on Thursday.

Bjorn Engels could be in contention to play his first minutes for Villa since March, but Tom Heaton and Wesley (both knee) will not be considered for selection.

Both sides come into the game off the back of a defeat, with Wolves losing 4-0 at Anfield last Sunday.

It's been almost two weeks since Villa last played a Premier League game, after their game against Newcastle was postponed last weekend.

Dean Smith's side were unlucky to lose 2-1 at West Ham last time out.
 

Kick-off is scheduled for 12.30 GMT.

My name is James Wynn and I'll be your host for this game.

We will provide you with pre-match analysis, squad updates and news as it happens live here on VAVEL.com.