Ings leveller dents Wolves' hopes

Aston Villa's Danny Ings celebrates scoring their side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Ashton Gate, Birmingham. Picture Tim Goode/PA Wire. 

Premier League: Aston Villa 1 Wolves 1

Danny Ings came off the bench to rescue a point for Aston Villa, just when it looked like Julen Lopetegui would win the battle of the Basque managers.

But Villa should have won the game in stoppage time when Leon Bailey sliced wide of an open goal after taking the ball around Wolverhampton goalkeeper Jose Sa.

It was a result that dented Wolves’ survival hopes just when it looked like they would move out of the relegation zone for the first time since October.

Daniel Podence gave Wolves a deserved first-half lead against a Villa side which looked a shadow of the team that won at Tottenham on Sunday.

But manager Unai Emery managed to get back on terms with his Spanish countryman as Ings proved the key. As Wolves became more cautious, Ings equalised 13 minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute.

The Villa forward made the most of an excellent through ball from defender Tyrone Mings, before taking advantage of a moment’s hesitation from Sa to claim his seventh goal of the season.

Villa’s World Cup winning goalkeeper Emi Martinez returned to the team and greeted the crowd before the game, as the Argentinian showed off his Golden Glove trophy. Lopetegui kept new loan signing from Atletico Madrid, Matheus Cunha, on the bench.

Villa defender Ezra Konsa managed to steer a Nathan Collins header off the line after six minutes.

But Wolves kept the pressure on and Podence played a one-two with Joao Moutinho before shrugging off a Douglas Luiz challenge and finding the far corner.

It was his fourth goal this season, but he looked to have collected an injury and was substituted at half-time. 

It took a vital save from Martinez to stop Matheus Nunes making it two after 20 minutes. But Emery’s side came close to levelling the scores when Lucas Digne’s inswinging free kick was tipped over by Jose Sa.

Wolves fans had to wait until the 65th minute to see Cunha’s arrival when he replaced Diego Costa.

But it was another substitute who almost increased Wolves’ lead when Adama Traore sent a shot dipping just over the bar.

Villa were unlucky not to equalise with 16 minutes left as they saw a handball appeal against Hugo Bueno rejected before substitute Ludwig Augustinsson had a powerful volley superbly headed off the line by Max Kilman.

ASTON VILLA: E Martinez 7 - A Young 5 (Coutinho, ht), Konsa 7, Mings 7, Digne 6 (Augustinsson, 65mins, 7) - Cash 6, Kamara 6, Douglas Luiz 5 (Dendoncker, 65mins, 6), Buendia 6 - Bailey 5 - Watkins 5 (Ings, 65mins, 7).

WOLVES: Sa 6 - Nelson Semedo 7, Collins 7, Kilman 7, Bueno 6 (Toti, 79mins) - Neves 6, Nunes 6, Hwang 6 (Ait-Nourri, 59mins, 6), Moutinho 7 (Hodge, 59mins, 5) - Podence 7 (A Traore, ht, 6), Costa 5 (Cunha, 65mins, 5).