Wolves Vs Aston Villa — Bottom-club boost as Joao Gomes and Rodrigo Gomes seal 2-0 Molineux win

Wolves supporters were the first to feel the impact of a rare lift: Wolves Vs Aston Villa finished 2-0 at Molineux, a result that not only ended lingering fears of matching Derby's notorious low points total but also damaged Aston Villa's hold on a top-four spot. The victory changes the immediate emotional landscape for the home fans and tightens pressure on Villa ahead of a crucial midweek match.

Immediate impact: standings, relief and derby bragging rights

For Wolves the win matters beyond three points—the club moved beyond Derby's all-time Premier League low points haul and now sits clear of that possible ignominy. The result brought long-awaited joy and relief for home supporters, who celebrated emphatically late in stoppage-time. For Aston Villa, the defeat threatens their top-four grip: Villa could fall below Manchester United into fourth on Sunday and arrive at a big clash with Chelsea on Wednesday on the back of a dip in form.

Wolves Vs Aston Villa — how the match unfolded at Molineux

In a wet West Midlands derby, Wolves produced the temperament and finishing that had been scarce across their season. Joao Gomes opened the scoring with a well-taken finish after an incisive move that involved Adam Armstrong's clever lay-off, and substitute Rodrigo Gomes sealed the win on the break deep into stoppage-time. The home side's second-half goals came after a first half in which Villa probed but failed to convert several chances.

Early openings for Villa included an out-of-form Ollie Watkins seeing a shot blocked, Pau Torres heading wide, and Douglas Luiz volleying straight at Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa. Wolves' best first-half chance arrived when the returning Toti Gomes miscued his effort. Unai Emery made a double change on the hour in an attempt to spark Villa, and Tammy Abraham was later introduced, but Villa could not find the breakthrough.

Late drama almost swung for the visitors in stoppage time when Amadou Onana met a loose ball, only for Jose Sa to get enough on the effort and for Yerson Mosquera to clear on the line. Chants of '1-0 to the Championship' rang around Molineux as the clock ticked down, only to be silenced when Rodrigo Gomes finished on the break with one of the final kicks.

Lineups, ratings and the match high point

Wolves: Sa, Tchatchoua, Mosquera, S Bueno, Toti, H Bueno, Andre, J Gomes, Bellegarde, Mane, Armstrong. Subs used: Arokodare, A Gomes (n/a), R Gomes (n/a). Player of the Match: Joao Gomes.

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Onana, Luiz, Sancho, Buendia, Rogers, Watkins. Subs used: Bailey, Barkley, Maatsen, Abraham, Alysson (n/a).

Fan reaction: a mix of joy, relief and anger

• Ivan: Fantastic result, well deserved, and a relief that nobody will be labeled the worst Premier League team ever.
• George: Praised Wolves' all-round performance, their pressing and Jose Sa's form.
• Dan: Called it a solid display with players running until the last minute and praised manager passion.
• Chris: Suggested Wolves have finally regained belief even if it's late in the season.
• Alan: Criticised Villa as poor, singled out Ollie Watkins and Emi Buendia as underperforming, and questioned their creativity.
• Ian: Feared Villa's season was unraveling if they couldn't beat the bottom club.
• Prit: Blamed team selection and said Wolves wanted it more; warned Villa could miss out on Champions League football.
• Tony: Said early season excitement for Villa had evaporated and that the management and players must answer for a collapsing campaign.

Rob Edwards, the night and a brief Q&A

Wolves boss Rob Edwards described the moment as special in a difficult season, saying it helped build the emotional connection he wants with supporters. He admitted losing himself in the celebrations, imagining his daughters' bemusement, and noted he pulled his calf and damaged a board during the outburst. He framed the victory as a moment that will live with him forever.

Match highlights and a video player were made available with a note recommending Chrome for the best accessibility, and a subscription app offered live access with an instant-access option that required no contract.

Other sports lines that day included Premier League action with Liverpool 3-0 up, Everton leading at Newcastle and Brentford beating Burnley; a T20 World Cup scenario noting Pakistan needed Sri Lanka restricted to less than 147 to reach the semis; Bournemouth unbeaten in eight after Evanilson earned a point against Sunderland; and lifestyle pieces such as a preview of the Brit Awards and a feature on the making of an artist's fourth album.

It's easy to overlook, but the bigger signal here is how a single derby night can recalibrate morale on both sides: a bottom-club win that lifts local spirits and tightens pressure on a side chasing European football.

Writer's aside: Details like emotional celebrations and late goals matter more than season-long narratives on nights like this; they change fan memory and can briefly redraw momentum even when broader form is unchanged.