Match ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Aston Villa 0.
Toti scored his first Wolves goal as Julen Lopetegui's side beat European hopefuls Aston Villa at Molineux to banish any lingering fears of Premier League relegation.
The hard-fought victory lifts Lopetegui's team to 40 points, 10 clear of 18th-placed Nottingham Forest, who have four games left to play.
Portuguese centre-back Toti gave Wolves the lead inside 10 minutes, sending a towering header beyond Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez via the underside of the crossbar.
The visitors dominated possession and went close to equalising in the first half through Emiliano Buendia and Ollie Watkins, before Ashley Young steered a low, curling shot past Jose Sa's right-hand post early in the second half.
Tyrone Mings blazed Douglas Luiz's delivery over the crossbar as Villa applied heavy pressure late on, but the hosts held firm to claim a fourth consecutive home league victory and a fourth successive clean sheet in front of their own fans.
Villa stay eighth but have now played three games more than seventh-placed Brighton, who are one point ahead and host struggling Everton on Monday.
- Lopetegui celebrates 'most important achievement' as manager
- Reaction to Saturday's Premier League games
- How did you rate Wolves' performance? Have your say here
- What did you make of Aston Villa's display? Send us your views here
Wolves bounce back from Brighton debacle
Before the game, Lopetegui said his players would need to deliver a near-perfect performance to match an Aston Villa side enjoying a new lease of life under Unai Emery.
While the hosts' display was far from error free, the result was the ideal antidote to last Saturday's humbling defeat by Brighton at Amex Stadium and all but confirms their place in the top flight next season.
Wolves' high press forced an early corner from which Toti rose above Jacob Ramsey to break the deadlock, while a combination of dogged defending and inspired goalkeeping kept Villa at bay at the other end.
The home side did have opportunities to double their lead, Matheus Cunha firing over the bar from Diego Costa's knockdown before the former Chelsea striker shot straight at Martinez not long after half-time.
Matheus Nunes perhaps should have given Wolves a two-goal cushion from Pedro Neto's low cross, but he failed to connect with his compatriot's delivery.
Wolves have now registered seven wins from their nine Premier League fixtures at Molineux in 2023 - only Manchester City and Manchester United have a better record on home soil.
They last recorded four consecutive top-flight home wins in April 1975.
Villa fading after excellent run
Aston Villa's momentum under Emery has stalled recently, with Saturday's defeat coming six days after a 1-0 reverse to Manchester United at Old Trafford.
However, with games against fellow European hopefuls Tottenham, Liverpool and Brighton to come, Villa's hopes of securing continental football next season remain very much alive.
After falling behind to Wolves' first real attack of the match, Sa produced a marvellous one-handed save to prevent a Buendia half-volley from nestling in the bottom corner.
Top scorer Watkins, who is now without a goal in four matches, powered a header straight at Sa from Ramsey's delivery, while Craig Dawson's last-ditch tackle prevented the lively Buendia from getting a shot away after skipping past Max Kilman.
Emery handed Bertrand Traore his first league start in 16 months at Molineux but it failed to pay off, the former Chelsea and Lyon forward surrendering possession cheaply on several occasions before being hooked at half-time for fit-again Leon Bailey.
Mings squandered the visitors' best chance in the second half, escaping the attention of the Wolves defence but firing Luiz's free-kick high over the bar from an excellent position.
Having scored in 20 previous league games under Emery, Villa have now failed to find the net in back-to-back fixtures under the Spaniard.
Player of the match
Rúben NevesRúben Neves
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Avg
- Squad number8Player nameRúben NevesAverage rating
7.42
- Squad number24Player nameTotiAverage rating
7.28
- Squad number15Player nameDawsonAverage rating
7.13
- Squad number7Player namePedro NetoAverage rating
7.11
- Squad number28Player nameJoão MoutinhoAverage rating
7.02
- Squad number23Player nameKilmanAverage rating
6.98
- Squad number12Player nameMatheus CunhaAverage rating
6.97
- Squad number4Player nameCollinsAverage rating
6.96
- Squad number29Player nameDiego CostaAverage rating
6.92
- Squad number11Player nameHwang Hee-chanAverage rating
6.86
- Squad number5Player nameLeminaAverage rating
6.79
- Squad number1Player nameJosé SáAverage rating
6.78
- Squad number27Player nameMatheus NunesAverage rating
6.78
- Squad number37Player nameTraoréAverage rating
6.76
- Squad number22Player nameNélson SemedoAverage rating
6.72
Aston Villa
Avg
- Squad number11Player nameWatkinsAverage rating
5.48
- Squad number1Player nameE MartínezAverage rating
5.48
- Squad number41Player nameJ RamseyAverage rating
5.48
- Squad number10Player nameBuendíaAverage rating
5.42
- Squad number5Player nameMingsAverage rating
5.33
- Squad number15Player nameÁlex MorenoAverage rating
5.30
- Squad number6Player nameDouglas LuizAverage rating
5.29
- Squad number4Player nameKonsaAverage rating
5.07
- Squad number18Player nameYoungAverage rating
5.02
- Squad number9Player nameTraoréAverage rating
4.83
- Squad number3Player nameDiego CarlosAverage rating
4.82
- Squad number7Player nameMcGinnAverage rating
4.65
- Squad number31Player nameBaileyAverage rating
4.56
- Squad number44Player nameKamaraAverage rating
4.34
- Squad number22Player nameDuránAverage rating
4.31
- Squad number27Player nameDigneAverage rating
4.11
Line-ups
Wolves
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Sá
- 22Nélson SemedoBooked at 90mins
- 15Dawson
- 23Kilman
- 24GomesBooked at 82mins
- 27NunesSubstituted forJoão Moutinhoat 90+1'minutes
- 8Neves
- 5Lemina
- 7NetoSubstituted forTraoréat 83'minutes
- 12Matheus CunhaSubstituted forHwang Hee-chanat 68'minutes
- 29Diego CostaBooked at 39minsSubstituted forCollinsat 83'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Aït-Nouri
- 4Collins
- 10Podence
- 11Hwang Hee-chan
- 21Sarabia
- 25Bentley
- 28João Moutinho
- 35João Gomes
- 37Traoré
Aston Villa
Formation 4-4-2
- 1E Martínez
- 18YoungSubstituted forDiego Carlosat 65'minutes
- 4Konsa
- 5MingsBooked at 39mins
- 15MorenoSubstituted forDigneat 85'minutes
- 9TraoréSubstituted forBaileyat 45'minutes
- 7McGinn
- 6Douglas LuizBooked at 75minsSubstituted forKamaraat 86'minutes
- 41J Ramsey
- 10BuendíaSubstituted forDuránat 81'minutes
- 11WatkinsBooked at 63mins
Substitutes
- 3Diego Carlos
- 16Chambers
- 22Durán
- 23Coutinho
- 25Olsen
- 27Digne
- 31Bailey
- 32Dendoncker
- 44Kamara
- Referee:
- Stuart Attwell
- Attendance:
- 31,641
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home38%
- Away62%
- Shots
- Home6
- Away16
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away3
- Corners
- Home5
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home20
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Wolverhampton Wanderers 1, Aston Villa 0.
Post update
Offside, Wolverhampton Wanderers. José Sá tries a through ball, but Adama Traoré is caught offside.
Booking
Nélson Semedo (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Lucas Digne (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by João Moutinho (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
Substitution
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. João Moutinho replaces Matheus Nunes.
Post update
Corner, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Conceded by Lucas Digne.
Post update
Foul by Diego Carlos (Aston Villa).
Post update
Hwang Hee-Chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Mario Lemina.
Post update
Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Adama Traoré (Wolverhampton Wanderers).
Substitution
Substitution, Aston Villa. Boubacar Kamara replaces Douglas Luiz.
Substitution
Substitution, Aston Villa. Lucas Digne replaces Álex Moreno.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Leon Bailey (Aston Villa) left footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is blocked.
Substitution
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Adama Traoré replaces Pedro Neto.
Substitution
Substitution, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Nathan Collins replaces Diego Costa.
Booking
Toti (Wolverhampton Wanderers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Leon Bailey (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Comments
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Just shows that Unai needs some top quality signings if we want to contend for Europe next season.
Well played Wolves, good to see you safe! UTV
C'mon me babbies.
Stats say villa deserved something,but that's football for ya.
They definitely need some new strikers.