Raul Jimenez 8, Leander Dendoncker 8, Jack Grealish 6: Aston Villa v Wolves player ratings

Nuno Espirito Santo's side boost hopes of top-four finish, while pressure increases on struggling home side

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Leander Dendoncker maintained Wolves' Champions League charge and plunged Aston Villa deeper into relegation trouble.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side made it three successive victories since the Premier League restart thanks to Dendoncker's excellent finish in the second half that sealed a 1-0 win.

Wolves have yet to concede a goal following the coronavirus-enforced break and are now just two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea and three ahead of sixth-placed Manchester United.

Both Chelsea and United have a game in hand on Wolves due to their FA Cup involvement this weekend.

But with fifth place potentially offering Champions League qualification if second-placed Manchester City's European ban is upheld, Nuno's men are firmly in contention to play in the continent's elite club competition for the first time in 60 years.

"What's in front of us will be very tough but it's a welcome week to recover. We will prepare ourselves to compete and see what happens," Nuno said.

"I'm very happy for Leander Dendoncker, he gives so much to us and he truly deserves this moment."

Second-bottom Villa have now played a game more than the teams around them and have just six matches left.

"We more than matched a top-six team today but they managed to get a goal from the edge of the box out of nothing and we didn't convert the chances we had," said manager Dean Smith.

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