The afternoon began on a poignant note with a tribute to the late Villa great Gary Shaw. The European Cup and league title winner, who died on Monday following a fall, would have been impressed by the attacking intent both teams displayed during the opening skirmishes.
But enterprising play did not translate into clear cut openings, until Mario Lemina tested Emiliano Martinez’s handling after climbing highest to meet a corner. It turned out to be an ominous portent for Emery’s men, with Cunha’s low drive firing Wolves in front midway through the first period. It was an impressively clinical finish. But the pass from Villa’s Diego Carlos, which presented his fellow Brazilian with the chance to begin with, was utterly woeful.
“At the start, it was difficult to understand why we were like we were,” Emery admitted, before pinpointing Villa’s Champions League exploits as a possible reason. “But the demands are higher. However, that is the angriest I’ve been.”
As Emery grew increasingly animated on the touchline, Carlos redeemed himself by deflecting Rayan Ait-Nouri’s close-range effort around a post. Wolves could – probably should – have doubled their advantage just before the interval when Jorgen Strand Larsen shot straight at Martinez. But unlike his opposite number, there was a skip in O’Neil’s step as he made his way towards the dressing rooms for the half-time break.
“We could have got more to begin with,” O’Neil continued. “That’s cost us later but we’re an honest group.”