Villa

Wolves head coach Rob Edwards says the prospect of ending the season with fewer points than record-holders Derby County was “hanging over their heads”, and believes his side will have more confidence going forward after their 2-0 win over local rivals Aston Villa.

MATCH REPORT: Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Aston Villa

Available to UK users only.

Villa are fortunate others have stumbled sooner and for longer this season – ensuring they have maintained a decent grip on third place until now.

Chelsea have dropped 17 points from winning positions at Stamford Bridge and 19 points overall in the Premier League this season.

They go to Arsenal on Sunday hoping to capitalise on Villa’s latest slip – before travelling to Villa Park on Wednesday for a game which could define both teams’ seasons.

Lille, in the Europa League on March 12, and a trip to Old Trafford on 15 March will then loom large for Villa.

Individual form has also plummeted, with Ollie Watkins scoring just once in 11 games – reminiscent of the spell where he scored only one goal in the opening 19 matches – while Morgan Rogers is on a similar streak.

The slump was sparked by injuries to Boubacar Kamara, John McGinn and Youri Tielemans last month as Villa’s lack of depth was exposed.

Players argued between themselves as Ezri Konsa – who also had a flashpoint with fans at the end – and Amadou Onana urged Emi Buendia to leave the pitch quicker as he was substituted.

The cracks are showing and even the players are admitting to feeling the pressure.

“It does weigh on us but it shouldn’t,” said Rogers. “We deserve to be here and we should not forget that.

“Our run lately has not been as good as usual but that is the battle of the Premier League. We are going to get back to our good run of wins.

“We set our standards high and we have the ability to win every game. Obviously that is not realistic but we are playing good football as a whole and there is nothing to worry about.

“They [the next fixtures] are the games you want to play and, with so much on the line, we need to show why we deserve to be where we are.”

Match of the Day pundit Wayne Rooney believes Tammy Abraham’s arrival at Aston Villa could be key to Ollie Watkins rediscovering his form, as the pressure of competition for his place in the starting line-up is something “he has to respond to”.

WATCH: Late Abraham goal rescues point for Villa against Leeds

READ: Abraham equaliser earns draw for Villa against Leeds

Available to UK users only.

After the January return of Douglas Luiz – signed from Manchester City in 2019 – Villa are just one away, a left-back, from being able to field a team of Smith players.

Add Lucas Digne, who joined under Steven Gerrard, and it will be a side without the initial input of Unai Emery, even if the Spaniard has re-signed Luiz and Ross Barkley.

Smith was sacked in November 2021 after three years in charge but his influence remains.

In January 2019 he signed Tyrone Mings on loan from Bournemouth, the longest serving player of his reign, who played his 200th game for Villa in the win over Brighton.

Ezri Konsa and Luiz arrived in the summer, after Villa were promoted to the Premier League, while Matty Cash, Emi Martinez, Lamare Bogarde, Barkley, Leon Bailey, Emi Buendia and Ollie Watkins also joined under the former Brentford boss.

The backbone of the squad are players – Mings, Konsa, Watkins, Cash and John McGinn – signed from a lower level [the Championship and Scottish Premiership] with a risk element attached.

McGinn signed for £3.5m from Hibernian under Steve Bruce while Konsa – now an England international – joined from Brentford for £12m and Cash cost £16m from Nottingham Forest.

Emery has lifted the squad to unexpected levels but unless they unearth a gem, Villa cannot replace Konsa for £12m in the current market and certainly not for the relatively low fees previously spent.

There lies the biggest problem, succession planning with limited funds.

The average age of Villa’s starting XI is 28 years and 84 days – the second oldest in the Premier League – and there is internal recognition it needs to be dealt with.

Brazilian winger Alysson, 19, joined from Gremio for £10m last month with 17-year-old Brian Madjo arriving from Metz for a similar fee to start that process.

Villa signed them earlier than they would have liked but moved to get the pair for a smaller fee, reducing the risk.

Neither are expected to make an immediate impact, although Alysson made his debut in midweek, but the January window was viewed as striking a balance – addressing the age issue and solving the first-team problems.

Striker Tammy Abraham arrived to back up Watkins while Luiz returned on loan from Juventus out of necessity following Boubacar Kamara’s season-ending knee injury.

With Villa committed to spending £18.25m on Abraham they had no money left to cover Kamara, so Luiz was ideal.

He was cheap, available, with his loan at Nottingham Forest being cancelled, and knew what Emery demands.