Ruben Neves’ deflected 95th-minute free-kick completed a sensational 3-2 comeback win for Wolves against Aston Villa in a pulsating West Midlands derby at Villa Park on Saturday.
The hosts were in a commanding position after Danny Ings’ header (48) was added to by John McGinn’s deflected effort (68).
But Romain Saiss started the turnaround when he met Daniel Podence’s cross (80) and Conor Coady levelled five minutes later from close range as Villa imploded.
There was an element of good fortune about the winner, however, as Neves’ firmly struck free-kick cruelly deflected in off Matt Targett handing Wolves a quite memorable derby day victory.
Wolves are now unbeaten in their last 6 Premier League visits to Villa Park, and the result means they have won three Premier League games in a row for the first time since June 2020 – rising to eighth in the table while Villa slip to 12th.
Ruben Neves is mobbed following his late strike
How Villa imploded against resurgent Wolves
Villa entered the game unbeaten in their previous three Premier League games at Villa Park this season and having not lost at home since being defeated by Manchester United back in May.
But having secured successive wins over Everton and Man Utd at Old Trafford, Dean Smith’s men have now suffered back-to-back losses, adding to the narrow 2-1 reverse at Tottenham before the international break.
Having lost each of his opening three league games 1-0, there is a growing sense that Bruno Lage has started to adapt to his new surroundings at Wolves, and his side might have found an early breakthrough.
Ruben Neves and Emi Buendia battle for the ball
A slack pass from Axel Tuanzebe after four minutes allowed Leander Dendoncker to slip Hee-Chan Hwang through on goal but a superb recovery block from Tyrone Mings spared his team-mate’s blushes.
It has been 61 years since Wolves kept three successive away clean sheets in the top flight, back in 1960, but that was very nearly wiped out 10 minutes later as John McGinn collected Douglas Luiz’s pass to fire a speculative drive that flashed just a yard wide of Jose Sa’s left-hand post.
This encounter between two sides separated by 21 miles never pointed towards a game rife with goalmouth activity; the meetings last season between the pair produced just one goal while this corresponding fixture ended goalless.
But Adama Traore very nearly provided another moment of individual brilliance to add to his catalogue of solo efforts and a brilliant weaving run that left McGinn, Luiz, Tuanzebe and Mings in his wake resulted in Emi Martinez making a vital save with his feet.
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Villa’s best chance in the opening period fell to Ings as after McGinn had picked out Buendia, his measured ball inside for the former Southampton striker was aimed back across goal but Jose Sa made a fine instinctive save.
Ings embraces Emi Buendia after giving Villa the lead
Wolves were slow in returning for the second period, and they still looked in the dressing room as Villa only needed three minutes to break the deadlock.
The ball was worked down the right channel for McGinn to hold off Saiss, and his cross was met by the alert Ings to plant his header low beyond Sa.
If Lage thought it would enliven his troops, he would have been enraged by the response as not long after Matty Cash chopped inside to fire over, Villa doubled their lead.
John McGinn rifles Villa 2-0 in front on Saturday
A poor pass towards his own goal by Hwang was intercepted by Watkins and after his initial shot was blocked by Coady, McGinn fizzed his effort into the bottom corner via a deflection off Neves.
“Are you West Brom in disguise?” came the cruel chant from the home supporters, but Wolves were only just starting.
Lage made a double change as Fabio Silva and Daniel Podence were introduced, and it was the latter forward who really grasped control of the game in the final 10 minutes.
Conor Coady makes it 2-2 at Villa Park
It was he who collected Neves’ pass as Villa failed to clear the lines from a corner before crossing low for Saiss to touch home at the far post to halve the deficit.
Villa were panicking and from Wolves’ next attack, they were level. Max Kilman saw his initial header smack against the crossbar but Traore kept the ball alive to cross and once Leander Dendoncker kept the move alive at the far post, Marvelous Nakamba was only able to hook his clearance into the onrushing Coady as the ball trickled over the line.
Former Villa boss Tim Sherwood said on Soccer Saturday: “Villa can only blame themselves. It’s been a magnificent comeback from Wolves, but Villa must be kicking themselves – they have been so negative since going 2-0 up.”
Worse was to come in the fifth minute of stoppage time for Villa, however, as after Jacob Ramsey was penalised for a foul on Traore, up stepped Neves to fire his free-kick into the bottom corner via a heavy deflection off the hapless Targett.
Ruben Neves' 95th-minute strike struck Matt Targett
What’s next?
Friday 22nd October 7:00pm
Kick off 8:00pm
Aston Villa visit Arsenal on Friday Night Football in the Premier League, live on Sky Sports; coverage starts at 7pm with kick-off at 8pm.
Wolves are at Leeds the following day on Saturday October 23; kick-off 3pm.
