Wolves at Villa Park, match facts from the BBC and something about heads

I know it's early, but the sun is shining where I am and proper football is back. And it's one of those days where we get to watch four games, at the same time as trying to get a nice dinner ready for everyone. So we need to be optimised and efficient today.

So lets get down to it. If Spurs win in the earlier match today, they'll go above us into fourth. That's how tight it is now and there are only nine gams to go for us. Spurs have ten. 

It's the business end of the season but at the same time, there is so much of it still to go. But this is when a slip might be seen as a disaster by some but this is most definitely the time of the season when we need to keep our heads.

And Wolves are no push over. They're above Chelsea and Newcastle and in a better run of form than us at the moment. While it's one thing writing that we need to keep our heads, it's another to write that the players that go out today need to put in a performance. 

A win today will see us having won four out of the last six matches. And you know I like to keep an eye on the form table. To finish fourth, at a minimum we need to have a form card that says we have won four of our last six. And if we don't win today and Spurs do, that's exactly what the form card will look like. 

Football isn't rocket science but it is easy to write about. I'll be back at random times today but definitely the hour before the match. And remember, whatever happens today, keep your head. It's going to be needed before the end of the season and it will play a part.

Match facts from the BBC

Head-to-head

  • Aston Villa are without a win in six Premier League meetings against Wolves, drawing three and losing three.
  • Wolves have lost just one of their eight Premier League visits to Villa Park, drawing four and winning three.

Aston Villa

  • Aston Villa have lost three of their past four league fixtures at Villa Park, as many as in Unai Emery's first 23 home games in charge.
  • Their tally of 17 top-flight wins this season is only one short of their total for 2022-23.
  • Villa can equal the club league record of conceding multiple goals in six consecutive home matches.
  • Ollie Watkins has been directly involved in 26 Premier League goals this season, with 16 goals and 10 assists - one shy of Dwight Yorke's club record of 17 goals and 10 assists in 1995-96.
  • Leon Bailey has six goals and six assists in 13 top-flight appearances at Villa Park this season.
  • Head coach Unai Emery is winless in six previous Premier League clashes against Wolves, drawing four and losing two.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

  • Wolves have won four of their past six Premier League games, losing the other two.
  • Gary O'Neil's side have accrued 22 points since Christmas Eve, with only Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal faring better.
  • They are unbeaten in the last 10 top-flight games in which they've opened the scoring, winning eight and drawing two.
  • They've also won three of their past five Premier League games against sides starting the day in the top five (D1, L1).
  • Wolves are the only side in Europe's top five leagues yet to score a goal from outside the penalty area this season.
  • Jose Sa is set to make his 100th Premier League appearance this weekend.