Wolves v Aston Villa: Premier League – live!

8.46am EST 08:46

55 min: Matt Targett blocks a Daniel Podence shot and the ball loops up in the air and into the hands of Emiliano Martinez in the Villa goal. Good defending.

8.44am EST 08:44

53 min: It’s second time lucky for McGinn, who whips a delightful cross into the Wolves penalty area, aiming for Ollie Watkins. The Villa striker leaps under pressure from Romain Saiss but can’t get his head to the ball. Replays suggest Saiss may have given him a little shove in the back that went unpunished. A let-off for Wolves, perhaps … but I’d need to see it again. Watkins didn’t appeal.

8.42am EST 08:42

51 min: Jack Grealish plays a weighted pass up the left flank for McGinn, whose attempted cross is blocked. The ball goes out for a throw-in.

8.41am EST 08:41

49 min: Conor Coady is dripping claret from his nose after getting hit in the face by the ball as he contested a high ball with Ollie Watkins. Mike Dean blows his whistle to pause play so the Wolves skipper can get himself cleaned up, have a cotton swab wedged up each nostril by the physio and change into a new shirt that doesn’t resemble a crime scene.

8.37am EST 08:37

46 min: Dendoncker is penalised for handball and Villa are awarded a free-kick halfway inside the Wolves half. Nothing comes of it.

8.36am EST 08:36

Second half: Wolves 0-0 Aston Villa

46 min: Villa get the ball rolling with no changes in personnel on either side.

8.35am EST 08:35

Half-time analysis: As is customary on BT Sport, all the focus has been on the first half’s one vaguely contentious refereeing decision. It’s exactly the kind of chat that has football in the state of VAR-induced tedium it is today.

So what happened? Wolves defender Romain Saiss ducked to block a Jacob Ramsey flick across the Wolves penalty with his head from almost point-blank range. He knocked the ball on to his own elbow with his forehead and – quite correctly – no penalty was given by Mike Dean, who presumably took advice from the VAR curtain-twitchers.

8.23am EST 08:23

Half-time: Wolves 0-0 Aston Villa

A stop-start game punctuated by free-kicks and niggle draws to a close with the deadlock unbroken. It’s been absorbing fare and both goalkeepers have had saves to make. Villa have dominated possession but Wolves have had the pick of the chances.

8.21am EST 08:21

45+3 min: Grealish has a low ball across the Wolves penalty area blocked and Wolves counter. Moments later, Mike Dean awards the 17th free-kick of the half, this one for a tug on Adama Traore. The ball’s curled into the Villa penalty area, where Fabio Silva’s header flashes wide of the far post.

8.18am EST 08:18

45 min: Having failed to draw a foul from Nelson Semedo as he cut into the Wolves penalty area at speed, Jack Grealish shoots for the near post and wins a corner instead. From that, Villa win another but Wolves clear as the clock ticks down to half-time.

8.17am EST 08:17

44 min: Villa corner. Jack Grealish’s inswinger is cleared at the near post and Villa recycle the ball. It’s sent goalwards and Tyrone Mings nonchalantly flicks it past Rui Patricio. He was only five yards offside … we won’t need VAR to get involved in that one.

8.15am EST 08:15

43 min: Another yellow card, this time for Adama Traore. The Wolves winger goes in the book for a foul on John McGinn.

8.13am EST 08:13

39 min: End to end stuff as Ollie Watkins gallops down the inside left with Conor Coady in hot pursuit, grabbing at his shirt. Wolves put a stop to Villa’s gallop as Watkins tries to find John McGinn and break down the pitch. A Podence shot from distance deflectsa off the shoulder of Jack Grealish, forcing another good save out of Martinez. He tips the ball around the upright and nothing comes from the subsequent corner.

Tyrone Mings, Emiliano Martinez and Ezri Konsa clear from Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Leander Dendoncker. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/Reuters

Updated at 8.20am EST

8.10am EST 08:10

37 min: Wolves win a corner, from which nothing comes but Villa don’t manage to clear it properly. The ball falls to Daniel Podence outside the Villa penalty area and he brings a good one-handed save out of Emiliano Martinez with a low, swerving drive that was heading for the bottom corner.

8.08am EST 08:08

34 min: Mike Dean blows for a foul on Grealish by Nelson Semedo in the penalty area! Cool your jets Villa fans – it was in your team’s penalty area; your skipper was back attending to his defensive duties.

8.05am EST 08:05

33 min: A fierce shot from Grealish goes out for a throw-in, which Matty Cash takes long. He Delaps the ball towards the near post, where Ezri Konsa tries to flick it on. The Villa defender miscues his header and the ball almost sneaks in at the upright. Wide … but not by much.

8.03am EST 08:03

30 min: Now McGinn gets booked, I suspect for persistent fouling. Daniel Podence is his latest victim.

8.02am EST 08:02

29 min: Matty Cash gets booked for a foul on Daniel Pedro Neto on the halfway line after the Wolves striker got the wrong side of him. That’s his fifth caution of the season which means he’ll miss Villa’s next game.

8.00am EST 08:00

28 min: Almost half an hour in and it’s a reasonably entertaining derby, although one without the aggressive snap and crackle you’d expect if the home side were being roared on by a full house of baying Wolves fans.

7.58am EST 07:58

26 min: Wolves win a free-kick 25 yards from the Villa goal, almost dead centre. Joao Moutinho shapes to take it but rolls the ball to Pedro Neto alongside him instead. He smashes the ball into the defensive wall.

7.56am EST 07:56

24 min: Jack Grealish goes down clutching his instep after a mid-air collision with Dendoncker which ended with the Wolves midfielder landing on top of him. It’s a sore one but nothing too serious.

7.55am EST 07:55

22 min: Good play around the Wolves penalty area by Villa, with John McGinn stabbing a nice pass into the box from the left. A promising move ends with debutant Jacob Ramsey firing over the bar from distance.

Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey fires over. Photograph: Tim Keeton/Reuters

Updated at 8.04am EST

7.53am EST 07:53

19 min: The ball sails into the Villa penalty area from the right, but Daniel Podence isn’t tall enough to get on the end of it.

Replays of that recent skirmish in the Wolves penalty area suggest a Jacob Ramsey flick may have hit Romain Saiss’s elbow. It was completely unintentional by the Wolves centre-back and his arm was not in an “unnatural” position, but penalties have been given for similar offences in the not too distant past.

7.49am EST 07:49

18 min: Bertrand Traore curls the ball into the penalty area, a game of pinball ensues and Wolves clear. The arms of several Villa players go up as they appeal for a handball by Romain Saiss. No penalty is forthcoming.

7.48am EST 07:48

16 min: Outnumbering their opponents in midfield, Villa break forward and Jack Grealish wins a free-kick just outside the Wolves penalty area, in line with the left edge. Adama Traore the aggressor there.

7.46am EST 07:46

14 min: Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz gets booked by referee Mike Dean for clipping the heels of Fabio Silva as the young striker tried to break upfield from the halfway line.

7.44am EST 07:44

12 min: Tyrone Mings loses the ball near the halfway line and Wolves break upfield. Neto gallops forward and tries to pull the ball back for Silva, but Martinez is quick off his line to claim the ball and gets a boot to the head for his troubles. It doesn’t look particularly serious and he’s fit to carry on.

7.42am EST 07:42

10 min: Fernando Marcal curls a low cross into the Villa penalty area from the left touchline, trying to pick out Podence or Silva. Martinez shouts for the ball and gets down to clutch it to his chest.

Updated at 7.44am EST

7.41am EST 07:41

10 min: |Villa are dominating possession at the moment, with 63% in the opening nine minutes.

7.40am EST 07:40

8 min: John McGinn whips a cross into the Wolves penalty area which is put out for another Villa corner. Grealish plays this one short, takes the ball back, advances towards goal and tries to pull the ball back to Bertrand Traore. Wolves clear.

7.38am EST 07:38

6 min: Grealish’s delivery travels uninterrupted through the Wolves penalty area and out for a throw-in by the corner flag at the opposite side of the pitch.

7.37am EST 07:37

6 min: Corner for Villa, after John McGinn tries to get in behind Leander Dendoncker, who puts the ball out.

7.36am EST 07:36

4 min: Aston Villa enjoy their first spell of possession after a shaky start. Grealish gets on the ball in the centre circle and tries to send Douglas Luiz on his way but the midfielder runs into traffic.

7.34am EST 07:34

2 min: Wolves take the corner short and send a cross towards the far post. Aston Villa clear their lines.

Updated at 7.34am EST

7.33am EST 07:33

1 min: Daniel Podence gets an early cross in from the right, trying to pick out Fabio Silva. The young Portuguese tries to get on the end of the excellent delivery, but Matty Cash rises with him and flicks the ball out for a corner.

7.32am EST 07:32

Wolves v Aston Villa is go …

1 min: The players take a knee and play begins with Wolves looking like they’re lining up with a back four, all the better to facilitate the link-up play between Nelson Semedo and Adama Traore down the right hand side. Aston Villa left-back Matt Targett could have his hands full this afternoon.

An aerial banner in support of Raul Jimenez is flown over Molineux. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/EPA

Updated at 7.33am EST

7.28am EST 07:28

Not long now: The sun is shining over Molineux but it’s a shame there are no fans in the stadium to enjoy its warmth on their shoulders. They’ll be watching at home, however, as their team leaves the dressing room and the players make their way out on to the pitch.

Aston Villa’s players join them, making their way down the steps of one stand adjacent to the tunnel. The last of the pre-match niceties are under way and we’ll be kicking off in less than two minutes.

Updated at 7.29am EST

7.18am EST 07:18

Jacob Ramsey: A product of the Villa academy who has been out on loan at Doncaster Rovers, the 19-year-old can play as a central or attacking midfielder and makes his first start for the club today.

Aston Villa’s Jacob Ramsey warms up ahead of his first Premier League start. Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA

6.44am EST 06:44

Those teams …

Fabio Silva starts up front for Wolves, the 19-year-old making his first Premier League start. Behind him, Ruben Neves and Wily Boly are dropped, with Romain Saiss coming into defence.

Villa have a teenager of their own making his top flight debut, with Jacob Ramsey starting in place of Conor Hourihane. They mystery player rumoured to have picked up an injury is Trezeguet, who has suffered a laceration to his head and isn’t in the matchday squad – Bertrand Traore comes in for him. Nine of today’s Villa team have started every Premier League match this season.

Updated at 6.55am EST

6.32am EST 06:32

Wolves v Aston Villa line-ups

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Patricio, Saiss, Coady, Marcal, Semedo, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Podence, Traore, Silva, Neto.

Subs: Ruddy, Ait-Nouri, Neves, Boly, Vitinha, Kilman, Otasowie.

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, Luiz, McGinn, Ramsey, Traore, Watkins, Grealish.

Subs: Steer, Hourihane, Nakamba, El Ghazi, Guilbert, Elmohamady, Hause.

6.26am EST 06:26

Dean Smith speaks …

“I think we are certainly closer to them than we were last season,” says the Aston Villa manager, who are in twelfth place, two points and two places behind Wolves. “With the quality we have added to our team I believe we have certainly done that.”

Speaking about Jack Grealish and Ross Barkley’s breach of coronavirus regulations after the pair attended a birthday dinner in London last weekend, Smith said he had dealt with the matter.

“Has this week been difficult to handle?” he asked. “No. I spoke about it and gave my opinions. I have reminded the players about their responsibilities and we have moved on.” Grealish, now on his second strike as far as covid shenanigans are concerned, has since tested negative negative for the virus and can play today.

Dean Smith speaks to the press at Aston Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground yesterday. Photograph: Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC/Getty Images

Updated at 6.28am EST

6.25am EST 06:25

Nuno Espirito Santo speaks …

“We are fully aware of what it means to play against Aston Villa,” said the Wolves manager in his pre-match press conference. “It’s always a big match and means a lot to our fans. Unfortunately, they will not be in Molineux to give us a push, but for sure they’ll be supporting at home and wishing us the best. We have to compete with all our strength.

“It’s a difficult game. It will require from us consistency through the actions, the unit compact, and taking advantage when we have the ball with the talented players we have – having good possession to unbalance Villa.

“We expect a very tough game, for sure, and a very enthusiastic game. It’s a derby and they’re always special.”

Nuno Espirito Santo overseeing Wolves training earlier this week. Photograph: Wolverhampton Wanderers FC/Getty Images

6.24am EST 06:24

Early Aston Villa team news

Aston Villa have had a fortnight off due to the postponement of their match against Newcastle last weekend, a break that’s given Dean Smith’s squad an unexpected opportunity to rest and recuperate. He has a largely fit squad to choose from but is without one big name in Ross Barkley, the midfielder currently sidelined with a hamstring injury.

The word from Molineux is that Smith has one other player who started their most recent game against West Ham unavailable through injury, but the identity of the man in question is not yet in the public domain.

Ross Barkley is out with a hamstring injury he suffered against Brighton. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Reuters

6.24am EST 06:24

Early Wolves team news …

Wolves are without striker Raul Jimenez for the forseeable future following the fractured skull he suffered in their recent win over Arsenal. The Mexican paid a welcome visit to the club’s training ground during the week and may attend this afternoon’s game if his doctor gives him permission. We wish him well in his recovery. Back in training after undergoing surgery on a knee injury, Jonny will not play today.

Raul Jimenez (left) greets Conor Coady during his visit to the Wolves training ground earlier this week. Photograph: Wolverhampton Wanderers FC/Getty Images

5.45am EST 05:45

Premier League: Wolves v Aston Villa

Wolves entertain Aston Villa in this Saturday lunchtime West Midlands derby (other West Midlands derbies are available), with both teams hoping to get back to winning ways after defeats in their most recent Premier League outings. Kick-off at Molineux is at 12.30pm (GMT) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.

Wolves v Aston Villa: match preview

Updated at 6.24am EST