Team news

Wolves preview
Wolves striker Kevin Doyle goes head to head with Republic of Ireland team-mate Richard Dunne on Saturday and is braced for a testing battle.

In-form Doyle has scored three goals in his last five appearances but knows adding to that tally against Aston Villa will be tricky as his international colleague poses a formidable barrier in the centre of defence.

Dunne made the switch from Manchester City to Villa in the summer, after being squeezed out during a period of heavy investment at Eastlands, and Doyle is convinced Martin O'Neill made a shrewd buy.

Doyle said: "Richard is a very good defender as are all defenders are in the Premier League. So it is going to be another tough game.

"I was surprised when he left Manchester City as he had been their captain.

"We will say 'hello' beforehand and then we won't talk again until after the game.

"I don't know whether he has many weaknesses. He is a very good player.

"I am always on his side for Ireland and in training so I can't really say that I know him inside out.

"It certainly won't make it any easier for either of us.

"One thing I do know is that I won't be marking him at the set-pieces.

"We know he is a big threat in front of goal and that is something we will have to be aware of." The clash carries an extra edge for Doyle as it will be the first local derby of his career having never played in one for Cork City in Ireland or for Reading.

He is relishing the clash and said: "I expect it to be a fast, end-to-end match with plenty of atmosphere.

"I have never played in a derby game before but I know what the match means to the fans." Wolves are boosted by the availability of striker Chris Iwelumo for the first time this season.

Scotland international Iwelumo has been sidelined for almost six months by a knee injury and a broken foot.

He will be on the bench as a replacement for Stefan Maierhofer who is suspended after being sent off at Everton.

Aston Villa preview
Martin O'Neill firmly believes Ashley Young is up there with the cream of Europe - never mind the Premier League.

The Aston Villa winger, 24, has come in for some recent criticism amid suggestions his form has dipped slightly and that he is not striking the same fear into defences as he was last season.

His strike rate - just one goal so far this term - and his number of assists are both down on previous seasons.

But manager O'Neill insists Young's role involves a lot more than just beating his man and getting a cross in, and believes his work rate - along with those of his fellow midfielders and forwards - is one of the main reasons for Villa being able to boast the meanest defence in the top flight.

O'Neill also goes one step further by saying that, having watched a host of Champions League action this week, Villa's number seven ranks among the best wide men Europe has to offer.

Ahead of Saturday's Premier League clash with Wolves, O'Neill said of Young: "Wingers are expected to pick the ball up, look up - even when you're being double covered - and beat a couple of players or get a good cross in, but his job is so much more here.

"He tracks back to help our full-back, then our midfield player gives him the ball, he looks up and he's got 90 yards to go and 15 players to beat. You think, `This might be a bit daunting'." O'Neill explained: "Yes, he's misplaced a couple of crosses and free-kicks. But for me he's been brilliant, really brilliant - for everything that he brings and for someone that is so slight.

"In two successive nights this week I watched loads of Champions League games and not only do I think, from what I've seen at the very top level, that he is a really brilliant player in the Premier League, but by the looks of things he's a brilliant player in Europe as well." There is no doubting Young's skill, speed and ability at set-pieces but the international stage has not yet seen the best he has to offer.

The Stevenage-born former Watford trainee has six England caps to his name - the last of which came against Holland in August.

And O'Neill believes it will only be a matter of time.

"Someone was saying that at England he's a bit quieter than he would be here, I think all of that will come, I do honestly," added the Villa boss.

Wolverhampton vs Aston Villa

Last modified 22:36 24/10/09

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Aston  Villa clearly have aspirations to be a top four side – but this draw at Wolves showed just how far they have to go before breaking into the elite.

The home fans taunted their bitter rivals by singing: “Champions League, you’re having a laugh”, throughout this damp squib of a derby.

That was a bit harsh, but Martin O’Neill will know these are the kind of games Villa should be winning if they are to pose a real threat to the Fab Four. They might have beaten Chelsea and Liverpool this season, but their record against the lesser sides is poor.

They were strangely out of sorts at Molineux, despite equalling their best start to a season in 10 years. O’Neill’s men should have been buoyant after beating Chelsea last weekend, but they never hit the heights of that excellent display.

One excuse for this schizophrenia is that, as a counter-attacking team, they find it easier to play against top sides who are committed to attack.

Yet the way this game panned out – with Wolves tearing into Villa in a fast and furious first half – should have played into their hands.

Mick McCarthy’s men gave Villa’s new-look defence a torrid time early on.

Villa soaked up all the pressure and eventually took control of the game, but they failed to kill it off and move into that coveted fourth spot.

Gabriel Agbonlahor broke the deadlock in the 79th minute. Ashley Young nudged the ball to Stiliyan Petrov, who found Emile Heskey. The

out-of-favour striker, on as a sub for John Carew, then picked out Agbonlahor who swivelled round to jab it home.

A less naive side would have shut up shop but Villa allowed Wolves, roared on by their feisty fans, to pin them back.

And they paid the price with just seven minutes left when the sprightly Michael Kightly was brought down by Steve Sidwell and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake hammered the penalty  down the middle for his first goal in the Premier League.

It was an emotional moment for the 23-year-old, who has waited for his chance since being shown the door at Manchester United over three years ago.

“You could see how much it meant to Sylvan,” said McCarthy. “He’s been desperate to get his first goal. But we all believed he could play and score goals in the Premier League .

“And don’t anybody underestimate the taking of that penalty in that atmosphere. It was an emphatic finish.

“We’ve got a good point because we all know how difficult is to get back from going a goal down in this league.”

It could have been worse for Villa if referee Peter Walton had spotted a clear-cut penalty in the first few minutes.

Kevin Doyle turned Richard Dunne inside out and was blatantly held back by the former Manchester City defender. But Walton, bizarrely, refused Wolves’ appeals.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said McCarthy. “Dunne had his wallet and everything off him.”

Agbonlahor should also have scored in the first minute, going

one-on-one with Wayne Hennessey only to hit the ball tamely at the keeper.

After the restart, Young’s deflected cross from the left fell perfectly for Sidwell, who, instead of shooting, tried to cushion a header into the path of Carew.

Young wasted two decent chances and Dunne should have scored his third goal of the season, but headed at Hennessey with only the keeper to beat.

“We can obviously play a lot better,” said O’Neill.“In the second half we limited them to very little but I’m obviously disappointed to have taken the lead so late and not gone on to win the game.”