Aston Villa have recorded a 4-1 victory over Championship leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers in Saturday's West Midlands deby at Villa Park.

Diogo Jota got Wolves back on level terms after Albert Adomah's early opener, but James Chester, Lewis Grabban and Birkir Bjarnason all netted in the second half to record Villa's eighth win in 10 matches.

Wolves now sit just three points clear of Cardiff City at the top of the standings, while Villa have moved to within seven points of their rivals.

Villa started brightly in front of their own supporters and it took just eight minutes for an opening goal, with Adomah forcing the ball into the net from close range after Danny Batth's attempted clearance went straight into the winger's path.

Wolves almost found an immediate equaliser, with John Terry clearing Matt Doherty's volley off the line, but the visitors soon got their leveller largely thanks to the work of the right wing-back.

Doherty sent the ball through Neil Taylor's legs before finding a low cross into the penalty area, and after Chester had diverted the ball towards goal, Jota reacted fastest to bundle a shot into the net from close range.

Both teams continued to have their moments in either final third, but the best opportunities fell to Villa with Chester failing to convert an overhead kick from three yards after meeting Terry's knockdown.

Villa returned for the second half on the front foot without creating anything of note which troubled John Ruddy, but the hosts finally got their second goal just before the hour mark.

Robert Snodgrass's free kick from a deep position was perfect for Chester, who got in behind the Wolves defence to volley into the corner from no more than six yards out.

Five minutes later, it was 3-1. Adomah was given too much space down the left and after crossing the ball towards the near post, Grabban was able to get across Willy Boly to flick the ball into the net.

Nuno Espirito Santo acted by throwing on both Romain Saiss and Benik Afobe, but it changed little as far as Wolves creating chances was concerned, with the visitors creating just two attempts in the opening 70 minutes of the match.

However, while they had been poor in the final third, Wolves were denied two possible penalties, with Adomah barging over Doherty inside the area before 10 minutes later, Ruben Neves's free kick was blocked by the hand of Snodgrass.

Villa deserved their win, however, and victory was capped off with a fourth from Bjarnason, who advanced towards the penalty area before finding the bottom corner from 20 yards.

ASTON VILLA (4-5-1): Johnstone; Elmohamady, Chester, Terry, Taylor; Jedinak, Hourihane (Lansbury, 81'), Adomah (Bjarnason, 75'), Grealish, Snodgrass; Grabban (Hogan, 86')

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS (3-4-3): Ruddy; Batth (Saiss, 68'), Coady, Boly; Doherty, Neves, N'Diaye, Douglas; Cavaleiro (Afobe, 67'), Jota (Costa, 76'), Bonatini