Donyell Malen believes the feel-good issue has returned to Aston Villa forward of their conflict with native rivals Wolves within the Premier League this Sunday.
After beginning their top-flight season with three factors from their opening 5 video games, Villa have gained six of their final seven league matches, with their solely defeat coming to Liverpool.
Unai Emery’s workforce additionally strengthened their probabilities of qualifying robotically for the Europa League knockout levels following a 2-1 victory over Younger Boys in midweek.
Malen’s first-half brace proved sufficient, with the Dutchman now Villa’s prime scorer throughout all competitions in 2025-26, having discovered the again of the web six occasions in 18 outings.
“I really feel good,” Malen mentioned. “As a workforce, we performed properly, we created a whole lot of alternatives. I ought to have in all probability scored two extra if I’m actually trustworthy, however it’s feeling.
“We needed to be centered. They’re not a foul workforce, and we needed to do what we might do. We created a whole lot of possibilities within the first half and even second half to get an even bigger rating.
“We now have to go sport by sport. In fact, the Premier League is an enormous competitors, however that is additionally a really massive competitors for us.”
Malen’s haul of targets has come from simply seven begins, although Emery urged the in-form Villa ahead to construct on his latest kind to earn a daily beginning spot.
“One month in the past, he demanded that I alter him as a result of he was drained. Progressively, he has been getting match,” Emery informed reporters in midweek.
“He’s getting numbers, which is unbelievable. He’s actually performing properly. Now, preserve going.”
goodnight, villans pic.twitter.com/9B6hBFKSy4
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) November 27, 2025
Wolves, in the meantime, they await a primary win within the Premier League continued final week as Rob Edwards’ first sport in cost ended with a 2-0 defeat at house to Crystal Palace.
It was largely a much-improved show from Wolves, who completed with an anticipated targets (xG) complete of 1.8 from their eight photographs to Palace’s 1.3 from their 10 makes an attempt.
However solely one in all Wolves’ efforts was heading in the right direction, which means they turned the primary workforce since Newcastle United in 2021-22 (14 video games) to win any of their first 12 top-flight matches.
Nevertheless, Edwards believes a win over their rivals could possibly be the catalyst to ignite their season, although the Wolves boss acknowledged the problem of his workforce having the ability to take action.
“Final week I spoke about realism. There’s a perception there that we are able to dig ourselves out of this place. But additionally, there’s a realism that it’s by no means been performed earlier than,” Edwards mentioned.
“I hope we are able to get that first victory right away and in an enormous sport like this. It’d be a good way to begin that off, however Villa Park can also be a troublesome place to go – everybody finds that.
“They’re an incredible soccer membership, an enormous membership, who’re doing rather well for the time being, with an excellent supervisor in place, however we’ve obtained to take care of ourselves.
“We’ve had week thus far to get a plan collectively, however we’re going to should be a nine-and-a-half out of 10 to get one thing from the sport – however we’re able to that.
“We’ve obtained to go there with zero concern, with bravery and with the assumption that Sunday goes to be the day that we are able to get that first victory.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Aston Villa – Morgan Rogers
Morgan Rogers has been concerned in 5 targets in his final seven Premier League video games for Villa (three targets, two assists), as he continues to rediscover his kind from 2024-25.
Final trip towards Leeds, he scored his first brace within the competitors, in addition to scoring from his first-ever try from a direct free-kick.
Wolves – Jorgen Strand Larsen
No participant has scored greater than as soon as for Wolves throughout their 12 video games thus far within the Premier League this season, however Jorgen Strand Larsen nonetheless poses his workforce’s greatest risk.
He has three targets in all competitions this time period from an anticipated targets (xG) complete of two.5, and Edwards shall be hoping his quantity 9 can encourage his workforce to victory.
Solely 4 sides have had an extended wait from the beginning of a marketing campaign for a participant to attain twice – Bradford Metropolis (15 video games in 2000-01), Huddersfield City (13 in 2018-19), Tottenham (13 in 2006-07) and Wimbledon (13 in 1994-95).
MATCH PREDICTION: ASTON VILLA WIN
Villa have gained their final two house league video games towards Wolves, having gained simply one in all their earlier 9 towards them at Villa Park (D5 L3), and that run is predicted to proceed right here.
That’s as a result of Emery’s workforce have misplaced simply one in all their final 24 Premier League house video games (W15 D8), taking place 3-0 towards Crystal Palace in August.
They’ve additionally gained all 4 of their Premier League video games performed instantly after taking part in in Europe in midweek this season, the one aspect with a 100% profitable document thus far.
Wolves, in the meantime, have gained simply one in all their 14 top-flight video games towards Villa between 1980 and 2012 (7%). Since each groups have been again within the Premier League (2019), they’ve gained six of their 12 towards their rivals (50%).
They’re additionally winless in all 12 of their Premier League video games this season, selecting up simply two factors. It’s the third-lowest factors complete 12 video games right into a season in English top-flight historical past after Manchester United in 1930-31 (0) and Sheffield United in 2020-21 (one).
However Wolves’ issues haven’t solely been this season. They’re with out a win of their final 16 Premier League video games (D3 L13), together with 5 consecutive defeats.
It’s their longest winless run within the competitors since a run of 17 between February 2012 and August 2018, with that run additionally containing the final time they misplaced six in a row in the identical season (seven between March and April 2012), leaving Edwards with a whole lot of work to do.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Aston Villa – 72.7%
Draw – 15.8%
Wolves – 11.5%
