Aston Villa continued their strong start to the 2024/2025 Premier League season with a 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Villa Park. The match saw Aston Villa dominate the scoreline, but Wolves displayed resilience and created enough chances to keep the game interesting.
Key Stat Breakdown
Villa’s attacking prowess was on full display, as they netted three goals from nine total shots. The standout moment came from Jhon Durán’s late goal (94′) with an xG of 0.59, sealing the victory after Aston Villa built momentum in the second half. Wolves, on the other hand, managed only one goal through Matheus Cunha’s early strike in the 24th minute, with an xG of 0.53, but struggled to break through Aston Villa’s organized defense afterward.
Aston Villa’s efficiency was evident with three goals from just nine shots, while Wolves’ struggles were clear despite their seven shots, as only one found the back of the net. Both teams matched each other in dribbles, but Wolves’ excessive fouls (16) disrupted their play and rhythm.
Match Momentum
The game’s momentum swung heavily in favor of Aston Villa in the latter stages, particularly after Ollie Watkins’ 73rd-minute goal, which began their final push. Wolves had early momentum with Cunha’s goal, but they couldn’t capitalize on their promising first-half performance. By the time Konsa and Durán struck late, Wolves were pinned back and had no answer to Villa’s growing dominance.
Shots and Shots on Goal
Wolves had their chances, but most of their shots were from less dangerous areas, as shown in the shot maps. Their xG of 1.29 was lower than Aston Villa’s 1.8, and their inability to convert chances into quality shots hurt their efforts. Wolves did manage to test Emiliano Martínez with four shots on target, but many were speculative efforts from distance.
Aston Villa’s three shots on target resulted in all three goals, showing their clinical edge. Their focused attacks and the quality of chances created overwhelmed Wolves’ defense.
Possession and Pass Map Analysis
Wolves deployed a 3-4-2-1 in possession, with Andre and Mario Lemina anchoring their midfield in a double pivot, looking to build through Matheus Cunha and Joao Gomes. The pass map shows a cohesive passing structure in their own half but lacked penetration into Villa’s box. Wolves struggled to consistently connect their midfield to their attacking players, leading to more possession in non-threatening areas.
Aston Villa, on the other hand, utilized a 4-2-3-1, building out from the back through Pau Torres and Diego Carlos, with strong midfield support from Youri Tielemans and John McGinn. The pass map indicates Villa’s superior ball movement, with Watkins being the focal point of their attacks. Villa’s ability to advance the ball into dangerous areas made the difference, as shown by their fluid movement into Wolves’ box, resulting in quality chances and goals.
In conclusion, Aston Villa’s efficiency in front of goal and their ability to control the game’s momentum late on gave them a deserved victory, while Wolves were left to rue missed opportunities and struggled to maintain possession where it counted.