Premier League 2024-25: Wolves moves out of relegation zone after beating Villa 2-0; Cunha signs long-term contract

Premier League 2024-25: Wolves moves out of relegation zone after beating Villa 2-0; Cunha signs long-term contract

Struggling Wolverhampton Wanderers stunned high-flying rivals Aston Villa 2-0 on Saturday to end a run of four straight defeats and move out of the Premier League relegation zone.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde scored the opener in the 12th minute, lighting up Molineux with an angled shot rifled in at the near post after Pablo Sarabia played the ball through, and Matheus Cunha made it 2-0 deep into second-half stoppage time.

The three points, against a side which sealed a Champions League last-16 spot in midweek, lifted Wolves out of the bottom three on a day when relegation-threatened rivals Ipswich Town and Leicester City both lost.

Villa, which made four substitutions at the break and had a goal disallowed in the second half, stayed eighth in the standings — missing an opportunity to close the gap to fourth-placed Manchester City from four points to one.

Matheus Cunha has signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract with Wolverhampton Wanderers, the Premier League club said after the home win against Aston Villa on Saturday.

The player had been linked in media reports to Arsenal, currently second in the standings, as well as Nottingham Forest and Chelsea.

“We can all see his quality on the pitch, but off it he’s developed into a leader of the group, and we’re delighted that he’s signed a new contract,” said Wolves chairman Jeff Shi.

“It’s always important to us that we reward our strongest and most impactful players, and Matheus deserves this new deal,” he added.