Wolverhampton Wanderers have moved two points clear at the top of the Championship table thanks to a 2-0 win over West Midlands rivals Aston Villa at Molineux.

Second-half goals from Diogo Jota and Leo Bonatini got the job done for Wolves against their fellow in-form side, seeing them overtake Sheffield United and Cardiff City at the summit.

A first defeat in nine matches for Villa leaves them outside the playoff places, meanwhile, as boss Steve Bruce's wait for a league win at this ground stretches to a sixth game.

Wolves, who deservedly came out on top on home soil, were almost ahead early on as Romain Saiss glanced narrowly over from an Ivan Cavaleiro cross.

Danny Batth climbed highest to nod a dangerous header across towards goal soon after, but none of his teammates could make a telling touch on the ball.

With a quarter of the match played Jonathan Kodjia and Keinan Davis combined for the Villans' first real attacking move, which ultimately came to little as the attempt was off target.

Roderick Miranda fired into the side-netting and Kodjia had a small penalty appeal rejected as the first half transpired, while Matt Doherty was also left unhappy when going down inside the opposition box.

The first on-target attempt of the match arrived shortly before the interval as Ruben Neves let fly from 25 yards, forcing Sam Johnstone into making a smart stop.

Cavaleiro then skewed horribly wide following a positive attacking move, though Wolves did make a deserved breakthrough 10 minutes into the second half through a fine left-footed finish from Jota, taking advantage of a costly Ahmed Elmohamady slip in the box.

Wanderers' second came courtesy of Bonatini, who found the net from an acute angle following some good play from Jota - his fifth goal in the Championship this season.

Johnstone produced a double save to deny the two goalscorers in the final 13 minutes and, a Robert Snodgrass free kick against the crossbar aside, the visitors did not truly look like finding a response.