They used to squabble over eighth place. Today, Aston Villa dreams of Champions League anthems while Wolves prepare for Tuesday nights in the Championship. A tale of two clubs exposing the brutal new gravity of English football.
The world calls it a miracle on ice. But when a €22m wage bill outplays a €258m giant, it's not magic. It's a hostile takeover of football's old guard by the new efficient elite.
Forget the historic hostility of the North West. The most consequential fixture in English football is now played between two sovereign wealth funds, with the Premier League serving as the expensive turf for a much larger game.
