Game #5575
Aston Villa
Saturday, 6 March 2021
Drew
9th (-)
Last 5: 🟨 🟥 🟩 🟥 🟨
Premier League
Attendance: Behind closed doors
(COVID-19)
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Villa Park
Villa are held to a goalless draw at home to leave them with one win in their last five.
Aston Villa
0-0
Wolves
Assist(s) | None
KEY MAN
Ahmed Elmohamady challenges, 6 March 2021
PREVIOUS MATCH
NEXT MATCH
MATCH TIMELINE
Saturday, 6 March 2021
🟨 | 27’ Booking, Morgan Sanson
🕒 | HT Aston Villa 0-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
🔁 | 61’ Sub off, M Morgan Sanson, Sub on, M Ross Barkley
🔁 | 78’ Sub off, W Trézéguet, Sub on, CF Keinan Davis
🔁 | 83’ Sub off, W Bertrand Traoré, Sub on, M Jacob Ramsey
🕒 | FT Aston Villa 0-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
ON THIS DAY
18 year old Under-23 winger Jaden Philogene-Bidace makes his first squad appearance for Villa.
Centre back and stand-in captain Tyrone Mings makes his 80th appearance for Villa.
Aston Villa
European Cup / Champions League: 🏆
League Champions: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Last Trophy: 1995-96
Wolverhampton Wanderers
European Cup / Champions League: ❌
League Champions: 🏆🏆🏆
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: 🏆🏆
Last Trophy: 1979-80
FIXTURE HISTORY
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Previous 5 vs. Wolves: 🟩 🟩 🟥 🟥 🟩
FIXTURE DETAILS
Season | 2020-21 |
Matchday | #30 |
League Match | #26 |
Manager Game | #113 |
Saturday, 6 March 2021
MATCH SUMMARY
Manager: Dean Smith | 🏴 | West Bromwich, 2018-2021
Referee: Andy Madley | 🏴 | Huddersfield, 2011-
Kick off: 5.30pm
HT Score: 🟨 0-0
FT Result: 🟨 0-0
FT Score: 🟨 Drew
Last 5: 🟨 🟥 🟩 🟥 🟨
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Andy Madley | 🏴 | Huddersfield, 2011-
Previous 5: 🟥 🟩 🟩 🟨 🟥
Last Match: 🟥 3 Feb 2021, Villa 1-3 West Ham (h)
Cards: 🟨
Assistants: Simon Long, Richard West
CARDS
TEAM NEWS
Following the disastrous display at Bramall Lane the last time out with a poor team selection the main culprit, Dean Smith makes a number of key changes after what has been seen as his Martin O'Neill in Moscow moment.
With Matty Cash and captain Jack Grealish again ruled out through injury together with long term absentees Kortney Hause and Wesley and a fresh injury to Anwar El Ghazi, Dean Smith has one enforced change with winger Trézéguet brought in for his first start in four months.
Paying the price for the Bramall Lane embarrassment Marvelous Nakamba and Jacob Ramsey are dropped and Dean Smith finally hands a starting place to Morgan Sanson - his first in eight games - whilst Douglas Luiz returns to midfield.
With Frédéric Guilbert having been sent out on loan, veteran Ahmed Elmohamady continues at right back in place of the injured Matty Cash, whilst 18 year old winger Jaden Philogene-Bidace makes his first squad appearance.
TEAM STATS
Starting XI Average Age: | 26.53 |
Oldest Player: RB Ahmed Elmohamady | 🇪🇬 | 33.51 |
Youngest Player: M Douglas Luiz | 🇧🇷 | 22.84 |
MANAGER
MANAGER
Dean Smith | 🏴 |
Nuno Espírito Santo | 🇵🇹 |
Aston Villa
GK Emiliano Martínez | 🇦🇷 |
RB Ahmed Elmohamady | 🇪🇬 |
CB Ezri Konsa | 🏴 |
CB Tyrone Mings | 🏴 |
LB Matt Targett | 🏴 |
M Douglas Luiz | 🇧🇷 |
M John McGinn | 🏴 |
M Morgan Sanson | 🇫🇷 | 🟨 | 🔁 |
W Bertrand Traoré | 🇧🇫 | 🔁 |
W Trézéguet | 🇪🇬 | 🔁 |
CF Ollie Watkins | 🏴 |
Wolverhampton Wanderers
GK Rui Patrício | 🇵🇹 |
LB Jonny Otto | 🇪🇸 |
CB Conor Coady | 🏴 |
CB Romain Saïss | 🇲🇦 |
RB Nélson Semedo | 🇵🇹 |
M Rúben Neves | 🇵🇹 |
M João Moutinho | 🇵🇹 |
M Leander Dendoncker | 🇧🇪 |
W Pedro Neto | 🇵🇹 |
W Adama Traoré (ex) | 🇪🇸 |
CF Willian José | 🇧🇷 | 🔁 |
SUBSTITUTES
🔁 M Ross Barkley | 🏴 | for M Morgan Sanson | 🇫🇷 | 61' |
🔁 CF Keinan Davis | 🏴 | for W Trézéguet | 🇪🇬 | 78' |
🔁 M Jacob Ramsey | 🏴 | for W Bertrand Traoré | 🇧🇫 | 83' |
SUBSTITUTES
🔁 | CF Fábio Silva | 🇵🇹 | for CF Willian José | 🇧🇷 | 78’ |
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
GK Tom Heaton | 🏴 |
LB Neil Taylor | 🏴 |
CB Björn Engels | 🇧🇪 |
RB Kaine Kesler-Hayden | 🏴 |
M Marvelous Nakamba | 🇿🇼 |
W Jaden Philogene-Bidace | 🏴 |
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
GK John Ruddy | 🏴 | Free |
CB Willy Boly | 🇨🇮 | £10.80m |
CB Max Kilman | 🏴 | Free |
LB Rayan Ait Nouri | 🇫🇷 | £9.99m |
RB Ki-Jana Hoever | 🇳🇱 | £8.82m |
M Vitinha | 🇵🇹 | Loan |
M Morgan Gibbs-White | 🏴 | Youth |
SQUAD STATS
1st XI Cost: £152.59m
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 5/11
Homegrown: ⭕/11
Subs Cost: £0.00m
Team Cost: £152.59m
Squad Cost: £178.51m
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 12/20
Homegrown: 3/20
MATCHDAY SQUAD
GK Emiliano Martínez | 🇦🇷 | £19.58m |
GK Tom Heaton | 🏴 | £7.92m |
LB Matt Targett | 🏴 | £14.04m |
RB Ahmed Elmohamady | 🇪🇬 | £0.99m |
LB Neil Taylor | 🏴 | Exchange |
RB Kaine Kesler-Hayden | 🏴 | Youth |
CB Tyrone Mings | 🏴 | £20.60m |
CB Ezri Konsa | 🏴 | £11.97m |
CB Björn Engels | 🇧🇪 | £7.20m |
M Douglas Luiz | 🇧🇷 | £15.12m |
M Morgan Sanson | 🇫🇷 | £14.22m |
M Marvelous Nakamba | 🇿🇼 | £10.80m |
M John McGinn | 🏴 | £2.79m |
M Jacob Ramsey | 🏴 | Youth |
M Ross Barkley | 🏴 | Loan |
W Bertrand Traoré | 🇧🇫 | £16.56m |
W Trézéguet | 🇪🇬 | £9.00m |
W Jaden Philogene-Bidace | 🏴 | Youth |
CF Ollie Watkins | 🏴 | £27.72m |
CF Keinan Davis | 🏴 | Free |
SQUAD STATS
1st XI Cost: £136.17m
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 1/11
Homegrown: ⭕/11
Subs Cost: £36.00m
Team Cost: £172.17m
Squad Cost: £201.78m
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 4/20
Homegrown: 1/20
MATCHDAY SQUAD
GK Rui Patrício | 🇵🇹 | £15.45m |
GK John Ruddy | 🏴 | Free |
RB Nélson Semedo | 🇵🇹 | £28.80m |
LB Jonathan Castro Otto | 🇪🇸 | £18.44m |
LB Rayan Ait Nouri | 🇫🇷 | £9.99m |
RB Ki-Jana Hoever | 🇳🇱 | £8.82m |
CB Willy Boly | 🇨🇮 | £10.80m |
CB Romain Saïss | 🇲🇦 | £3.60m |
CB Conor Coady | 🏴 | £2.52m |
CB Max Kilman | 🏴 | Free |
M Rúben Neves | 🇵🇹 | £16.11m |
M Leander Dendoncker | 🇧🇪 | £12.42m |
M João Moutinho | 🇵🇹 | £5.04m |
M Morgan Gibbs-White | 🏴 | Youth |
M Vitinha | 🇵🇹 | Loan |
W Pedro Lomba Neto | 🇵🇹 | £15.79m |
W Adama Traoré (ex) | 🇪🇸 | £18.00m |
CF Fábio Silva | 🇵🇹 | £36.00m |
CF Willian José | 🇧🇷 | Loan |
UNAVAILABLE
Injury | 5 |
CF Wesley | 🇧🇷 | Knee, ACL
CB Kortney Hause | 🏴 | Foot
RB Matty Cash | 🏴 | Hamstring
M Jack Grealish | 🏴 | Leg
W Anwar El Ghazi | 🇳🇱 | Toe
Out on Loan | 3 |
M Conor Hourihane | 🇮🇪 | Swansea
RB Frédéric Guilbert | 🇫🇷 | Strasbourg
GK Lovre Kalinić | 🇭🇷 | Hajduk Split
Not Selected | 1 |
GK Jed Steer | 🏴 |
UNAVAILABLE
Not Recorded
Player Abbreviations:
GK : Goalkeeper
LB, RB, FB : Left Back, Right Back, Full Back
CB, D : Centre Back, Defender
M, W : Midfielder. Winger
F, CF : Forward, Centre Forward
🟢 : Debut 🔴 : Final Game
Symbols:
⚽ | Goal
🔥 | Assist
🔁 | Substitution
🟨 | Booking
🟥 | Sending off
🆘 | Poor refereeing performance
DEBUT APPEARANCES
W Jaden Philogene-Bidace | 🏴 | First Squad Appearance |
FINAL APPEARANCES
MATCH STATS
Possession F | 49%
Possession A | 51%
Shots F | 9
Shots A | 11
Shots on Target F | 1
Shots on Target A | 3
Corners F | 5
Corners A | 3
Fouls F | 13
Fouls A | 12
TABLE

PROGRAMME



MATCHDAY QUOTES
Post Match
*Saturday, 6 March 2021*
*Villa manager Dean Smith*
"It was a game of two halves. The first half was the best we've played since December. Ollie Watkins pulled one back when he could have had a shot. In the second half I thought Wolves were really good. So it's probably a fair result.
"There were some big chances missed. Whenever Jack Grealish is not playing you are always lacking something. I know Wolves are missing Raul Jimenez but they are a good team.
"I keep saying there is a lot of inconsistency around the Premier League at the moment with the exception of Manchester City.
"There is tiredness and fatigue.
"We were good first half, created some good chances and should've gone in ahead. They were good second half and created chances as well and they should've gone ahead. It was the proverbial game of two halves."
On Ollie Watkins:
"He is positive and he'll be frustrated. I think he tried to pass to Bertrand Traore when he should've got a shot off in the first half but he's a very good player and he'll get better.
"We started well in the first five minutes but Wolves upped their tempo and I couldn't work out if it was us being poor or them being better I think it was a bit of both. We've created chances in the first half and some of our best play this season in the first half - we wanted to replicate it in the second half but unfortunately didn't."
On Jack Grealish:
"He was back running on the ultra G a few days ago so once he's pain free he should be ready to go."
Was it a fair result?
"There were two chances from set pieces so it probably is a point game but I was sitting at half time thinking how are we not in front but I think it's a fair result.
"We're progressing - there's been a bit of stop start since new year but here's inconsistency in the whole league apart from City. I don't think many teams are stringing three or four results together. That's the nature of how the pandemic has affected fixture congestion."
On European football:
"We haven't spoken about Europe at all really - we had a good start to the season and consistent was there until new year and we've proved we can be competitive against anybody but we just keep going game by game."
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*Saturday, 6 March 2021*
*Villa centre forward Ollie Watkins*
"I couldn't do much more about the shot that hit the bar. I hit that sweet and started to celebrate.
"There were a couple of other opportunities I felt I could have done better. We started the game really positively. One of our main players Jack Grealish is one of the best players in the Premier League.
"Obviously we want him in the team but we're doing well without him. I'm confident we can score goals without him. We came out in the second half with good intensity but we dropped deep and didn't create too much."
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*BBC Sport*
*Saturday, 6 March 2021*
Aston Villa's European hopes suffered another setback as they were held to a goalless draw by Wolves in their West Midlands derby.
The hosts, who suffered a surprise loss to Sheffield United in midweek, dominated the early stages with Ollie Watkins and Ezri Konsa both hitting the crossbar.
But with the influential Jack Grealish again missing as he recovers from injury, Villa faded after the break as Wolves sparked into life.
Having failed to create a chance of note during the first period, Nuno Espirito Santo's visitors somehow contrived to miss several gilt-edged chances to snatch all three points.
Romain Saiss blazed an effort over the bar from practically on the goal-line after Conor Coady had headed against a post, while another close-range effort from Coady drew a superb save from Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to ensure the spoils were shared.
The result leaves Villa ninth in the table on 40 points while Wolves remain 12th, five points further back.
Defeat by the Blades had left Villa boss Dean Smith calling for an instant reaction to boost hopes of qualifying for Europe for the first time in a decade.
And when Watkins fired a 25-yard effort against the bar it appeared to be a promising early signal of intent.
With Wolves barely able to get out of their own half it seemed only a matter of time before the hosts went in front, particularly when Konsa rattled the woodwork from Bertrand Traore's cross.
But until another late Konsa effort, that was the best Villa could muster.
With Grealish watching from the stands, Smith must have wished that he could turned to his talismanic captain as the game began to slip away.
Instead, Ross Barkley, a substitute for the third game running, was introduced but did little to push his case for a starting berth, managing just five touches in the Wolves half during his 35-minute cameo.
With Villa six points off Europa League qualification and seven from a Champions League spot, Smith will hope Grealish's impending return can prevent a season of promise ending with a whimper.
Only Burnley, Newcastle, West Brom and Sheffield United have managed fewer goals on their travels than Wolves this season.
And having seemingly been set up to utilise the pace of Pedro Neto and Adama Traore on the counter, their first-half performance underlined many of the reasons why.
While Neto and Traore offer plenty with the ball at their feet they were scarcely given the opportunity to threaten as Wolves failed to record an effort on target.
Often receiving the ball deep, the duo were repeatedly smothered by Villa's three midfield players, and on the rare opportunities they managed to advance little arrived by the way of support.
Only Sheffield United have failed to score in more opening periods in the Premier League this term, but Wolves improved markedly after the break.
Neto tested Martinez five minutes after the interval to set the tone and both Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves appeared to have been given the freedom to roam forward.
A well-worked corner routine saw Coady hit the post before a stretching Saiss lifted the ball over the bar from barely a yard out.
Wolves were unfortunate that their next opportunity from Willian Jose's skewed shot also fell to their England defender Coady, who while excellent at the other end of the pitch - making more clearances than any other player (eight) - is not noted for his finishing prowess.
Aston Villa boss Dean Smith, speaking to BBC Match of the Day:
"We were good first half, created some good chances and should've gone in ahead. They were good second half and created chances as well and they should've gone ahead. It was the proverbial game of two halves.
"Wolves upped their tempo and I couldn't work out if it was us being poor or them being better. I think it was a bit of both. We've created chances in the first half with some of our best play this season. We wanted to replicate it in the second half but unfortunately didn't.
"It probably is a point game but I was sitting at half-time thinking how are we not in front but I think it's a fair result."
On Jack Grealish: "He was back running on the anti-gravity treadmill a few days ago so once he's pain free he should be ready to go."
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