Leander Dendoncker warns Aston Villa to beware of wounded Wolves

The Belgium international is preparing to make his first return to Molineux since last September’s £13million switch across the West Midlands and knows his former team-mates will be smarting and eager to rebound from last weekend’s 6-0 thrashing at Brighton.

“Any team that loses 6-0 would want to react the next game, particularly when they are playing at home,” said Dendoncker. “They will want a reaction after that game, for sure.

“We know it is a tough place to go but we have to be ready and concentrated.”

Dendoncker made 133 appearances during a four-year stay at Wolves and was part of the squad which secured two seventh-placed finishes and reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

Villa’s impressive April has been recognised with Unai Emery being nominated for the Premier League manager of the month award.

Striker Ollie Watkins has also been shortlisted for the player prize after scoring five goals as Villa won five of their seven top flight matches.

It is the second successive month Emery has been up for the manager award and the third time in total since arriving at Villa last November.

Pep Guardiola, Roy Hodgson, Gary O’Neil and Eddie Howe are also on the April shortlist.

Watkins, meanwhile, is up against Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, Eberichi Eze, Alexsander Isak, Dominic Solanke, Callum Wilson and Diogo Jota for the player prize.

Supporters can vote for both Emery and Watkins online, with the winner of both awards announced next week.