Aston Villa 1-1 Wolves: Player ratings as points shared in west midlands derby
Wolves remain in the Premier League relegation zone after conceding a late equaliser against Aston Villa in the clash between the west midlands rivals.
Daniel Podence scored the opening goal of the game for Wolves only 12 minutes into the contest. But in a world of seemingly perfect symmetry, Danny Ings cancelled it out 12 minutes before the end – as if to prove a point to Villa boss Unai Emery amid his uncertain future.
Wolves had the chance to take the lead even before they did, with only a goal-line clearance from Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa denying Nathan Collins a headed goal from a corner.
But the opener when it came not long after was of great quality, with Podence exchanging passes with Joao Moutinho, beating Douglas Luiz and then curling his short into the far corner.
Emiliano Martinez also had to be sharp to stop Matheus Nunes giving Wolves a 2-0 lead by half-time.
Clear Villa chances were few and far between on the whole, but it took a great Max Kilman block to deny substitute Ludwig Augustinsson an equaliser on the volley. But it was only moments later when Ings got the hosts back level, latching onto a precision lofted through ball from Tyrone Mings and carefully lifting it over the onrushing Jose Sa.
Either side also had a chance to win it at the very end. First, Martinez was again on hand to make an important save from Rayan Ait Nouri, beating the effort to safety. Then, in stoppage time, Leon Bailey went clear for Villa and took the ball past Sa, only to fail to find the target from a narrow angle.
Aston Villa player ratings (4-4-2)
GK: Martinez (8); RB: Young (6), CB: Konsa (7), CB: Mings (8), LB: Digne (6); RM: Cash (7), CM: Kamara (6), CM: Luiz (6), LM: Buendia (6); ST: Bailey (6), ST: Watkins (6)
Substitutes
Coutinho (5), Ings (8), Dendoncker (6), Augustinsson (6)
Wolves player ratings (4-2-3-1)
GK: Sa (6); RB: Semedo (6), CB: Collins (6), CB: Kilman (7), LB: Bueno (7); CM: Neves (7), CM: Nunes (7); RM: Hwang (6), AM: Moutinho (7), LM: Podence (7); ST: Costa (6)
Substitutes
Traore (6), Hodge (6), Ait Nouri (7), Cunha (6), Gomes (6)
