Wolverhampton Wanderers

Gary O'Neil spoke to Sky Sports after Wolves' defeat to Aston Villa: "Really disappointed with the result, we didn't come here to lose. Performance wise, they gave loads. Higher possession, higher xG. You add Pedro Neto, [Matheus] Cunha to that xG and I'm sure it would have mattered. We take it on the chin and we get ready for Tuesday.

"We end up 1-0 down and it relieves pressure around the place even though we were having load and loads of joy. It's one we have to take and get ready for Burnley.

"Some big moments either end, two of theirs go in and ours didn't. I can only ask them to give as much as they did and they did. We can tidy up on some of the goals. In terms of the team and giving everything, they did that.

"Cunha is doing great, miles ahead off schedule. He wanted to be involved today but we needed to be steady. Pedro is more serious. When they come back they'll give some real attacking threat the boys already available."

Image source, PA Media

Wolves and Gary O'Neil are hampered. There is simply no getting away from that at the moment.

The absence of Pedro Neto, Hwang Hee-chan and Matheus Cunha leaves a lack of quality and creativity in the final third and leaves their squad depth extremely exposed at this level.

O'Neil's side started strongly at Villa Park and if Rayan Ait-Nouri had converted his early chance the result may well have been different.

The opener halted the momentum that Wolves had built up and a comeback never looked likely.

Still, this has been an encouraging campaign for Wolves and a run of three defeats in four doesn't change that.

• Aston Villa have recorded as many Premier League wins this season as they managed last season (18) – only in 1992-93 (21) have they recorded more wins in a season.

• Wolves suffered their first Premier League defeat to Aston Villa since a 1-0 loss in December 2020, having gone unbeaten in their past six meetings, while it’s their first top-flight defeat at Villa Park since December 2003.

• Moussa Diaby (5 goals, 7 assists) became the fifth player to score 5+ goals and provide 5+ assists in his first Premier League season for Aston Villa after Savo Milosevic in 1995-96, Ollie Watkins and Bertrand Traore in 2020-21 and Danny Ings in 2021-22.

• Only Nottingham Forest (22) have lost more Premier League away games since the start of last season than Wolves (20), with Gary O’Neil’s side losing successive such matches on the road for the first time this calendar year.

• Leon Chiwome (18y 80d), who made his Premier League debut, became the second-youngest player to start for Wolves in a Premier League game after Anthony Forde in December 2011 (18y 41d).

Aston Villa maintained their three-point lead over Tottenham in the race for Champions League football with a win over Wolves at Villa Park.

After Spurs beat Luton earlier on Saturday to briefly go above Villa, Unai Emery's side rose to the pressure and found a way to win despite being far from their best.

Moussa Diaby's thunderbolt shot from the edge of the area, after a cross was half-cleared by Tommy Doyle, fizzed through a couple of Wolves defenders and goalkeeper Jose Sa to open the scoring.

Ezri Konsa sealed the points when his miscued cross from close to the right byeline drifted over Sa and in off the far post.

There was perhaps concern for Villa, though, with England striker Ollie Watkins withdrawn at half-time despite not obviously suffering an injury in the first half.

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.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?

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Follow all of the reaction here

Eight fixtures make up Saturday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

BBC Radio 5 Live commentaries:

• Nottingham Forest v Crystal Palace

• Aston Villa v Wolves

All times GMT

Listen to national and local radio commentaries and follow live text updates here

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's games, he takes on Gladiators star Bionic.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Wolves were on the wrong end of an upset when they lost to Coventry in the FA Cup last time out, but this has still been a good season for them. They can still finish it strongly but at the moment they are stretched by injuries.

That's one of the reasons I fancy Aston Villa here. They were humiliated by Tottenham in their last home game and that is definitely not going to happen again this time.

Bionic's prediction: 2-2

Wolves are another side who have surprised everyone - I had them down to be relegated at the start of the season but now I see their manager Gary O'Neil being linked with the Manchester United job - it's crazy how much things can change in six months. Villa are having a great season too but they are just having a little wobble at the moment, so I am going for a draw.

See the full list of predictions here

BBC Sport pundit Michael Brown has been answering your questions on all things Premier League.

Josh asked: Do you feel Gary O’Neil would leave us for West Ham or England? I think he would be hard to replace given what he’s done, so surely we would need a high-profile manager as a replacement. Do you agree?

Michael replied: If you were offered the England job, then I would like to know which person would not take it? Of course he would go. But is he at that level yet? No.

Gary O'Neil has done an incredible job and is a great up-and-coming manager but there are still lots of different things he has to learn. He is still developing.

As for West Ham, that will be an interesting situation. It is a job that anyone would consider but he is more than happy with the journey he is on.

He is doing a great job so at the moment Wolves will not want to think about replacing him.

Michael Brown was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

Gary O'Neil has been speaking to the media before Wolves' trip to Aston Villa on Saturday in the Premier League.

Here are the main lines from his news conference:

• He dismissed recent reports linking him to a coaching role at Manchester United: "There's no truth in it - I don't know where it came from. Growing up, Liverpool and Manchester felt like special clubs, so firstly it's an honour to be linked. But all of my focus is on a three-game Premier League week and how we can help the group. I'm a head coach and I'm always going to be a head coach."

• When asked about the possibility of signing a new contract at Molineux, O'Neil said he is going to discuss his future with the club in the summer.

• On the prospect of qualifying for European football: "Europe was never a target with what the club had to go through in the summer. Because we're so close to it we have to discuss it. We understand the challenges surrounding it. It would be an unbelievable achievement."

• He confirmed Craig Dawson and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde remain unavailable: "Both aren't back with the group yet. Their injuries aren't clear ones where you get a clear time frame. Craig is doing better - hopefully he'll be back with the group next week for training. We're waiting for Bellegarde's knee to settle before we push him on. We're hoping it would settle quicker than it has. There's no real time frame on him yet."

• On the timeframe for Hwang Hee-chan's return: "He may be able to push ahead of [the estimated three-week return date]. He's on the grass and working hard. He's not too far away so hopefully he shave a bit off that three weeks."

• It will be a longer time before Pedro Neto appears in a Wolves shirt again: "I think he'll be back around the end of the season. He has a big summer with the Euros that he's keen to get back for. We won't let the fixture list dictate when he's back. He's working very hard and is keen to get back as quickly as possible."

• High-flying opponents Villa have their own share of injury issues: "I think I've got a good idea of what they'll look like - definitely shape-wise and probably personnel-wise. They still have incredible players available. The backline is going to be strong. It will be a really tough test. It's an opportunity to put another memorable result on the board."

• On their free-scoring striker Ollie Watkins: "I'm not sure when he made the improvement, but when I look at his all-round game, it's come on an awful lot. He can be a threat in behind and is good in to feet now. He's a really big goal threat as a really good number nine playing in a good team. He's done very well and looks like an accomplished Premier League striker now."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences

Listen to full match commentary of Aston Villa v Wolves on BBC Radio 5 Live from 17:30 GMT on Saturday

BBC Sport pundit Michael Brown has been answering your questions on all things Premier League.

Alan asked: I would like to see Wolves finish in the top 10, but just outside of any European qualification as I think it would be a disaster next season with such a small squad and all the extra matches. Would you agree that they need a few more seasons and an enhanced squad before we think about Europe?

Michael replied: No, take it! You take it all day long. It would be a great success for the whole football club.

It is up to the owners and recruitment team to deal with the demands and how they can adapt. Can it make things tougher for you? Of course it can. But you have to take success as it is something to challenge.

Being in Europe comes with its problems, but bring it on.

Michael Brown was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

On Tuesday, Wolves posted on social media a video of Matheus Cunha entering the grass at Compton, blowing kisses to an imaginary crowd in the manner of an opera singer returning for an encore.

The clip was immediately examined for clues as to the exact level of his fitness – Wolves are far too canny to have leaked a video giving any more detail about that – and whether he might be ready to play some part by this weekend.

However, with Wolves’ attacking resources under so much strain, the sight of Cunha on his feet at all was justifiable cause for excitement.

It is unfortunate for the spectacle that neither club in Saturday’s derby at Aston Villa will be able to field their strongest side. There will be few neutrals in the ground, of course, but it could have been a match to savour between not only near-neighbours, but arguably the two sides performing furthest above their expected station in this season’s Premier League.

Perhaps it still will be, although there is no denying that the verve which has illuminated Wolves this season has been dimmed by injuries to Cunha, Pedro Neto, Hwang Hee-chan and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.

They have coped well without each of them at some point, sometimes without two - but losing all four at the same time was too much.

While they almost cheated footballing justice in their pallid performance against Coventry City, and the manner of the defeat felt harsh, the final verdict was undeniably fair.

Before the break, Gary O'Neil railed against criticism the credits might be starting to roll early on Wolves' season, and many times already they have rewarded punters prepared to back the underdog.

O'Neil's ingenuity in solving tactical puzzles and his ability to convey those solutions to his players should give pause to anyone ready to count them out before Saturday. But with so many of their most effective attacking weapons out of commission, they will need their concentration and instincts.

The Coventry game notwithstanding, Wolves will believe there is still a way to win, despite everything. They have come too far this season to give up the chase of an improbably high finish now.

Listen to live commentary of Aston Villa v Wolves on BBC Radio WM at 17:30 on Saturday

And tune in to The West Midlands Football Phone-In every weeknight from 18:00

Here are the key statistics before Aston Villa host Wolves on Saturday.

• Aston Villa are winless in their past six Premier League meetings with Wolves, since a 1-0 away win in December 2020 under Dean Smith.

• Since losing their first top-flight away game against Villa in December 2003, Wolves have alternated between a draw (four) and a win (three) in their past seven such visits to Villa Park.

• Unai Emery's side have lost three of their past four Premier League games at Villa Park, as many as his first 23 such games in charge.

• Since Christmas Eve, Wolves have collected 22 points, with only Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal earning more.

• Gary O'Neil's side are unbeaten in their past 10 league games in which they have scored the opening goal, winning each of the past seven.

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live match commentary of Aston Villa v Wolves at 17:30 GMT on Saturday

Manchester United have identified Wolves' 23-year-old Brazil midfielder Joao Gomes as a replacement for compatriot Casemiro, 32. (Sport - in Spanish), external

The Red Devils also want to speak to Wolves manager Gary O'Neil about a role among a new coaching set-up at Old Trafford. (ESPN), external

Finally, Wolves are leading the race to sign Southampton and Scotland striker Che Adams, 27, when he becomes a free agent in the summer. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Wolves suffered cup heartbreak before the international break, but for Gary O'Neil's side to bounce back and secure a surprise European football spot, they will need three things:

No FA Cup exit hangover

Wolves crashed out in devastating fashion and that is is bound to have had an impact on both the playing and coaching staff. Wolves must make sure that they pick themselves up and put it behind them. The team has bounced back on multiple occasions this season so they must continue to do that.

Finish on a high

Wolves have had a fantastic campaign under O'Neil. With many pundits tipping them to go down, the side still have an outside chance of Europe. However, Wolves have been in this position a few times before and the wheels have fallen off. Expectations have probably been tempered due to the ongoing injury crisis, but the season must not fizzle out.

Fans need to back the team

O'Neil has cited on many occasions how big of an impact the fans' support has on the team. In tight games, the support of the Molineux faithful could be the deciding factor as we enter the business end of the season.

Matt Cooper can be found at Talking Wolves, external

BBC Sport pundit Michael Brown will be answering your questions, giving his insight and opinion around your club.

So what would you like to ask the former Premier League midfielder?

How does the rest of your season look? Who has been your best player? What does the manager's future hold?

Let us know what you want answered by sending in your questions here

BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has been taking your questions on the Premier League and those players on international duty.

Nick asked: Do you think Gareth Southgate was perhaps a little silly to not take Max Kilman, especially since he knows Joe Gomez and so would have had insight on his game? If I am honest, I think Kilman would turn down a cap while Southgate is manager. I get the feeling a few players might do the same. How can they show loyalty if Southgate refuses to pick based on form. Sorry but he is the worst England manager given the value and level of the squad. He has no excuses. Teams with lesser have routinely done better.

Phil replied: I’d be very surprised if Max Kilman turned down a cap - and don’t believe others would, as you seem to suggest. Kilman has had a fine season for Wolves and his name must surely have come up, but Southgate clearly feels he has other options in that area.

As for being the worst England manager, not a chance. Let me tell you, I covered the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when England did not get out of their group, and was in Nice when England were dumped out of Euro 2016 by Iceland at the last-16 stage, both under Roy Hodgson.

If you are suggesting Hodgson was actually a better England manager than Southgate then we will have to agree to disagree. Very, very strongly.

Read more of the Q&A with McNulty here

We asked you what the most irritating thing at your club has been this season, whether it be inconsistency, injuries or a player failing to deliver.

Here are some of your replies:

Finlay: Squad depth isn’t really ideal. Hopefully Cunha, Hwang, Neto and Dawson will all be back ASAP.

Helen: This is by far the most enjoyable season as a Wolves fan post-Covid. I’m delighted with Gary O'Neil and the boys. My only gripe is that the final goal in the Coventry game felt like deja vu - it was a carbon copy of the losing goal against Manchester United at home - both in form and context. Why didn’t we learn our lesson?

Jack: Considering we thought we were doomed before the season even started, Wolves have had a pretty good season. Mind you, it'd be even better were it nor for a string of horrendous VAR decisions that have arguably robbed us of eight or nine points. Had those decisions been made correctly, Wolves could be planning for a well-earned European campaign!

Askey: I think Wolves are going to struggle now to the end of the season because of the size of their squad and the injuries. Hopefully next season they can get a few more players in and push for the European spots.

Wolves gave all they had last Saturday, but with their attacking resources in particular pruned harshly by injuries, they were – literally in several cases – hamstrung. Their breathtaking rise and fall in the final minutes demonstrated both the squad’s extraordinary powers of motivation, and the natural limits of those powers.

Gary O’Neil noted in September that the team he had inherited was “loose within their structure". He explained: "They like to go one-v-one and try tricks and try to find their own way through. The game shouldn’t be that complicated. We should be able to play through the structure and arrive in dangerous areas, and then we can show individual qualities to help us. Trying to shift them from where they were to where I want them is quite a big shift.”

At the time, that shift was quite tricky to envisage. Surely that individual spirit of adventure was the main thing that a squad with limited resources had to offer – and in recent seasons goals had been hard enough to come by as it was.

Since then, though, we have seen how that change has taken effect – even when some of their most spectacular work seems to owe everything to inspiration. Consider the goal that briefly seemed like the winner on Saturday. Sparked from their own box, Wolves attacked as a squadron, Hugo Bueno finishing the move he started after Rayan Ait-Nouri’s thrilling run. It felt like a wildcard moment, but looking at the replays you can see the plan in action; like great improv comedy, what seems purely off-the-cuff can be a clever structure operating well, creating room for talent to flourish.

It's also become clear that this is a squad powered in no small part by emotion. Fans have seen players’ determination to fight through the most high-pressure situations, and the bond between the supporters and the players has been fully restored. It has been obvious how much the players care. But investing such passion in work can be tiring, and twice recently – against Manchester United and now Coventry – having scaled a mountain, Wolves have lost focus, and wearily collapsed off the top of it.

O’Neil and his players are determined that their whole season will not go the same way. With the handicap of several injuries, avoiding that will be difficult, but the international break – even with many players away – may help them approach the challenge with fresher minds at least. A change of scenery will hopefully prove as good as a rest.

*BBC Radio WM Football Phone-In – weeknights 6-7pm

*Aston Villa v Wolves – live commentary on BBC Radio WM, Saturday 30 March, 5.30pm

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, former Chelsea manager Graham Potter and Wolves' Gary O'Neil could all be in the running for the England job if Gareth Southgate leaves for Manchester United. (Mirror, external)

Want more transfer news? Read Thursday's full gossip column

As we approach the business end, we want to know the most irritating thing at your club this season.

Has it been a player failing to deliver, injury woes, inconsistent form... or something else?

Let us know your biggest gripe here

Matheus Cunha is on course to return for Wolves after the international break.

The striker has made a rapid recovery from the hamstring injury he suffered in the 2-0 defeat to Brentford in February.

It is a major boost for boss Gary O’Neil – following Saturday’s dramatic 3-2 FA Cup quarter-final loss to Coventry – with Wolves in desperate need of firepower.

Cunha has 11 goals this season and Wolves remain hopeful he will play some part in the trip to Aston Villa on 30 March.

Top scorer Hwang Hee-Chan – with 14 goals for club and country this season - is expected to be sidelined for another month with his own hamstring problem while Pedro Neto may miss the rest of the season with another hamstring issue.

Neto was out for two months earlier in the season and suffered a second hamstring problem in the 2-1 win over Fulham earlier in March.

Cunha is unlikely to be fit to start against Villa and Wolves will have to carefully manage his minutes with three games that week as they also travel to Burnley and host West Ham.

But O’Neil needs him back after the unfortunate injuries to Hwang and Neto which have threatened to derail the club’s excellent season.

Wolves have been pushing for Europe but, for long spells, struggled going forward in their defeat to Coventry without their first-choice frontline.

O’Neil and his coaches have worked with club-record £43m signing Cunha to unlock his potential and his tactical understanding of what the head coach demands.

A hat-trick in the 4-2 win at Chelsea, just before his injury, underlined the Brazilian’s progress with O’Neil hailing the forward’s ability to learn his role.

If Wolves are going to snatch a European spot they need Cunha back but will still have to tread a fine line over his fitness.

Saying bye-bye to the FA Cup stung a bit.

I can't shake the feeling that Wolves missed a golden chance for a Wembley trip to create some unforgettable memories.

Of course we have to give Coventry the credit they deserve but a few things tripped Wolves up. The small squad has cost us dearly. We've always known that too many injuries would spell trouble for the team. The injuries aren't even spread evenly across the squad - they're all up top, and it was obvious that Wolves were struggling in attack. With players playing out of position and the absence of our key men Coventry took full advantage of our lack of pace and threat up front and were able to push on with nothing to lose.

To somehow get ourselves in front and then deep in stoppage time lose it in the way we did was heart-breaking. This is the most annoying and frustrating thing, the team should have managed the game so much better but you have to say fair play to Coventry, they made us pay.

In the aftermath, Wolves need to quickly shift their focus towards the remaining matches, maintaining a positive mindset and regaining momentum will be crucial if we don’t want our season to end with a whimper. Fingers crossed that the international break will give the lads a chance to recharge with some downtime and allow players like Cunha, Dawson, and Bellegarde to recover to full fitness and re-join the squad.

Dazzling Dave can be found on Always Wolves fan TV, external