Aston Villa boss Unai Emery eager to end own Wolves hoodoo in Friday's derby clash

Emery’s Villa are targeting just a second win away to their West Midlands rivals since 2012.

The Spaniard, meanwhile, is winless in four previous Premier League trips to Molineux with both Villa and Arsenal.

Wolves sit bottom of the table with just one league win all season but Emery’s rotten record against them means he is taking nothing for granted.

He said: “I know I have my own challenges in the Premier League and one of those is I didn’t win at Wolves.

“Why? Because they were fighting, they were competing in everything better than us.

“It is my challenge. Tomorrow I have the opportunity. I am not looking at the table thinking, where are they? 

“I am analysing how they are playing. They are getting, individually and collectively, their performance and they have very good players.”

Victory would send Villa nine points clear of fifth-placed Chelsea in the race for Champions League football.

The latter travel to leaders Arsenal on Sunday, before visiting Villa Park next Wednesday but while the next few days could prove pivotal, Emery is looking no further than Wolves.

He said: “Each day is something we must enjoy, practising and preparing games, focusing on the next match.

“We are going to face, we are going to fight, day by day, next week, next month, very exciting moments. Everything can happen, but exciting moments.

“I am so, so motivated for the next match tomorrow, and for the next matches after tomorrow.”