Even the most hopeful Wolves supporter could not have predicted the euphoria that overtook the away section when his team trailed 2-0 to their nearest Premier League rivals with 10 minutes to go. Ruben Neves' deflected free-kick in the fifth minute of stoppage time sealed a dramatic comeback as Aston Villa let this West Midlands derby slip through their fingers. After their manager, Bruno Lage, went for broke with his aggressive changes, propelling his team to ninth place, the Wolves players were at the proper end to run over and share the celebrations with their fans. How fortunate the brave were.
Lage explained that he wanted to get Daniel Podence and Fábio Silva in between the lines, and as the game's momentum shifted, the visitors' penetration grew, with Ral Jiménez, who came on as a substitute, forcing the Villa defensive line to retreat and Adama Traoré causing problems in more advanced areas.