Ezri Konsa rounded off a remarkable week by scoring in the victory over Wolves, helping Aston Villa maintain their three-point lead over Tottenham in the race for Champions League qualification.
Despite briefly falling behind Villa after Tottenham’s win over Luton earlier in the day, Unai Emery’s side responded to the pressure and secured the victory, despite not performing at their best.
Moussa Diaby opened the scoring with a powerful strike from the edge of the box, following a half-cleared cross by Tommy Doyle. The shot pierced through a couple of Wolves defenders and goalkeeper Jose Sa.
Defender Konsa secured the win at Villa Park with a slightly deflected cross from near the right touchline, which drifted over Sa and into the net off the far post.
The 26-year-old recently made his debut for England as a substitute and earned his first senior international start on Tuesday, aiming to earn a place in Gareth Southgate’s squad for Euro 2024 in Germany.
“It’s been a perfect week,” said Konsa. “Making my debut for England and then to top it off with a win and a goal, I’m really pleased for myself and the boys.
“It’s hard to put into words. It was a dream come true to make my England debut and it’s something I’ve been working hard on. I want to continue working and learning so that’s what I’m going to do.”
As for whether he meant his goal, Konsa said: “Yeah, I meant it! Nah, I saw Jhon [Duran] coming in at the back post so I was hoping to give him an assist. I’m really pleased.”
There was concern for Villa, though, with England striker Ollie Watkins withdrawn at half-time because of a hamstring injury and manager Emery said he would go for a scan on Sunday.
Tottenham have a game in hand on Villa and could yet take control of the race for fourth, but fifth spot may secure top-tier European football next season with the revamped tournament being introduced.
Villa find a way against exposed Wolves
Villa, now matching their total number of Premier League wins from last season, did not display their best form in this match.
However, at this crucial stage of the season, results are paramount, and there may be more occasions like this one where performance takes a back seat.
The absence of the suspended John McGinn in midfield was felt throughout the game as Villa started slowly. They had an early goal from Watkins disallowed for offside, and Wolves’ Rayan Ait-Nouri missed a clear-cut chance.
Despite Wolves dominating possession, they struggled due to the absence of key attacking players like Pedro Neto, Hwang Hee-chan, and Matheus Cunha, leading to a lack of creativity in the final third.
Diaby’s opening goal was unexpected, originating from a central free-kick that was chipped to Alex Moreno on the left. His cross deflected off Doyle’s leg, allowing Diaby to score.
Wolves manager Gary O’Neil may question his defenders’ lack of movement and effort to block the shot.
Konsa’s goal, although fortunate, capped off a fluid attacking move. As the season progresses, Villa may view this match as a pivotal moment.
Wolves, who managed just one shot on target in the second half, have now lost three of their last four games across all competitions, highlighting their squad’s limitations at the highest level.