Wolves sent warning as Aston Villa are the best in the Premier League in one area

There are no easy games in the Premier League, but playing this current Aston Villa side will be difficult for Wolves.

Rob Edwards will be looking for a statement win, and three points against the Villans would be that.

The Wanderers have it all to do in the relegation battle, as they have already fallen nine points behind safety.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
17	West HamWest Ham	12	3	2	7	15	25	-10	11
18	LeedsLeeds	12	3	2	7	11	22	-11	11
19	BurnleyBurnley	12	3	1	8	14	24	-10	10
20	WolvesWolves	12	0	2	10	7	27	-20	2

The Wolves head coach is not afraid to make changes to get wins, and he will have some big decisions to make ahead of Sunday.

Wolves have been handed an injury boost, and that will only further provide Edwards with a headache, but a welcome one at that.

But he will also have to be aware of one key strength that Aston Villa have shown this season.

Wolves must be wary of Aston Villa long shots

Stopping teams from getting into your box and getting close-range shots is usually one of the better ways to prevent conceding.

However, when Wolves travel to Villa Park, they will also have to be proactive outside of their own box as well.

The West Midlands side have scored 15 goals in the Premier League this season. However, more than half of them have come from one area of the pitch.

Aston Villa have scored more goals from outside the box than any other side in the Premier League this season.

Wolves head coach Rob Edwards began his career at Aston Villa but played just nine games between 1999 and 2004. His most notable period during his playing career came at Molineux, playing 111 times for the Old Gold.

He gave everything for the shirt when he played.

Out of their 15 goals scored, eight of those have come outside the box, showing they do not need to get close to your goal to deal a blow.

Of those eight, two have been free kicks. It shows that Unai Emery’s side can be a threat no matter where they are on the pitch, and Edwards must have that in his mind when coming up with his game plan.

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Rob Edwards must limit Aston Villa’s space on the pitch

With Aston Villa posing a threat from distance, Edwards must limit the space they have outside the box.

Giving them time on the ball to set up a long-range effort could be a recipe for disaster on Sunday.

However, trying to prevent that could also leave gaps for the home side to exploit. Edwards will have to find a balance in his approach.

Overloading the middle of the pitch could be a great way to pressure the Villans on the ball and give them little time to release a shot at goal.

While it may be defensive, a 5-4-1 with the block of four covering the central spaces and the wing-backs holding the width could be the solution for an out-of-possession shape.

If he opts for this more defensive formation, then he must also include some more creative players in the side to give them a chance at winning.

Andre and Joao Gomes are not creative midfielders, and that has become clearer this season than it ever has.

Spaniard Fer Lopez is available, and the 21-year-old could be Edwards’ answer to creating more chances.

Edwards will know much better how to approach the game, but the threat of long shots is certainly real and is something to be worried about.