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Ezri Konsa capped a memorable week by scoring his first goal since 2021 as Aston Villa overcame their bogey side to regain fourth spot from Tottenham, who had won earlier in the day.
Konsa, who won his first England caps against Brazil and Belgium during the recent international break, sealed Villa’s victory with a cross that was intended for Jhon Duran at the far post but instead sailed over Jose Sa.
His chance goal midway through the second half added to Moussa Diaby’s powerful opener to give Villa their first win over Wolves in seven attempts, and their first at Villa Park in the Premier League since a young Gareth Barry scored in 2003.
The only cloud was a disappointing evening for Konsa’s England team-mate Ollie Watkins, who missed a good chance before the break and did not appear again in the second half.
Wolves showed plenty of promise as 18-year-old Leo Chiwome made his Premier League debut up front, but their season is in danger of dying out halfway down the table.
Moussa Diaby opened the scoring for Aston Villa with a thumping drive in the 36th minute
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Spurs’ late winner against Luton had temporarily knocked Villa out of the guaranteed Champions League places.
But surprisingly, given what was at stake, it was the visitors who started things brighter.
They also had their best chance in the opening 20 minutes when Santiago Bueno’s cross reached Rayan Ait-Nouri at the far post before the defender’s shot was blocked by Emi Martinez’s left leg.
Watkins, whose Euros were in doubt after making a few mistakes for his country, had a glorious chance to come back after 28 minutes when he was released by Youri Tielemans.
If he had been confident, he might have been able to seize the opportunity the first time. Instead, he delayed as Santiago Bueno came over, and his touch took him wide, sending the final shot into the side netting.
Moussa Diaby showed him how to finish eight minutes later after a move that looked suspiciously like one from coach Austin MacPhee.
Leon Bailey controlled his run down the left flank until the last minute so he was onside when Douglas Luiz’s free-kick was chipped into him.
Douglas Luiz had the ball in the net, but Ollie Watkins was offside in the build-up
The winger’s cross was blocked but only half-cleared to Diaby on the edge of the penalty area and the France international had the composure to wait for the ball to arrive before firing flawlessly past Sa.
The keeper’s dive almost saved him, but the shot was packed with too much power.
It was the Frenchman’s eighth goal in a season that has been both hot and cold since his club-record £52m signing from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.
Watkins did not appear again in the second half with Jhon Duran in his place.
Wolves had been sporadically on the attack, although Alex Moreno’s overreach at the back earned them a sniff after 56 minutes, which ended with Lemina’s header off Martinez. Tommy Doyle squandered a free-kick in a half-decent position.
Chiwome’s final got his big chance after outsmarting Diego Carlos in the penalty area, but the Villa defender did well to recover with a sliding tackle as the rookie was about to shoot.
Unai Emery sent on Lucas Digne and Nicolo Zaniolo midway through the second half to maintain Villa’s control of the match. O’Neil introduced Hugo Bueno to try to break it up. There was no doubt that the Spaniard won that particular battle.
The substitutes had barely arrived when Zaniolo found Diaby who passed the ball to Konze. The overlapping right-back tried to get a cross to Duran at the far post but caught it with the wrong part of his foot and the ball came diagonally over Sa’s head and into the corner.
Rayan Ait-Nouri squandered a great chance for the visitors at Villa Park in the first half
It was the defender’s first goal since scoring an unlikely double against Leicester two years and four months ago.
With the match over, O’Neill made a late three-way substitution, introducing Nathan Fraser, Boubacar Traoré and Matt Doherty – and it was Doherty who came closest to consolation with a header.
O’Neil is highly regarded as a coach and Manchester United are reportedly among his admirers.
But like most managers, he needs his best players Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan back from injury.
