⚽ | 1’ Goal, 1-0, Jacob Ramsey, Assist by Morgan Rogers (57 Seconds)
❗ | 14’ Chance! Andrés García charges forwards before shooting over
❗ | 14’ Chance! Donyell Malen shoots over from a Leon Bailey pass
❗❗ | 16’ Huge Chance!! Leon Bailey’s shot is saved at full stretch by Antonín Kinský
❗ | 19’ Chance! Youri Tielemans on the charge shoots over from Boubacar Kamara’s ball
❗ | 22’ Chance! Jacob Ramsey shoots wide from Donyell Malen’s pass
💥 | 25’ Emi Martínez thwarts Tottenham’s first attack as he saves from Son
🚑 | 25’ Ezri Konsa down with injury
🔁 | 27’ Sub off, Ezri Konsa, Sub on, Lamare Bogarde
🗒️ | The 11th time this season Villa have lost a player to first half injury and the 7th time in the last 10 games. And all the media can drivel on about is Spurs’ reserve injuries.
❗ | 31’ Chance! Leon Bailey’s shot from Morgan Rogers’ ball is parried by Kinský
❗ | 31’ Chance! Jacob Ramsey hits the post
🗒️ | Villa should be 2 up and wouldn’t look misrepresentative being 4 ahead. So easy.
❗ | 35’ Chance! Morgan Rogers charges through again following a Youri Tielemans pass but his shot is saved by Kinský
❗ | 35’ Chance! Donyell Malen shoots wide after another hot butter through knife break
❗ | 45’+2 Chance! Donyell Malen shoots fractionally wide from Leon Bailey’s throughball
🕒 | 45’+3 Aston Villa 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
🗒️ | One way traffic from the first second to the last, Villa though should have a commanding lead to show for it
🚑 | 51’ Lucas Digne down with injury
🚑 | 53’ Lucas Digne returns to field of play
❗ | 58’ Chance! Jacob Ramsey shot saved by Kinský
🆘 | 60’ Perennial fouler Rodrigo Bentancur booked for his latest foul on Morgan Rogers
⚽ | 64’ Goal, 2-0, Morgan Rogers
🗒️ | Villa finally add a second
🔁 | 66’ Sub off, Donyell Malen, Sub on, Marcus Rashford 🟢
🔁 | 66’ Sub off, Leon Bailey, Sub on Marco Asensio 🟢
🔁 | 81’ Sub off, Lucas Digne, Sub on, Ian Maatsen
❗ | 70’ Chance! Youri Tielemans shot is blocked
❗ | 72’ Chance! Morgan Rogers just wide from Marco Asensio’s ball in
🗒️ | 74’ Sublime skills already from Marco Asensio, what a player
🆘 | 75’ Shocking, shocking refereeing from Taylor as Villa see Rashford clattered on the edge of the area in one of the most blatant fouls imaginable and the fool from Wythenshaw waves play on to the utter disbelief of everyone present.
❗ | 76’ Chance! Jacob Ramsey’s shot from Morgan Rogers pass saved by Kinský
❗❗ | 77’ Huge Chance! Jacob Ramsey’s shot from Marcus Rashford’s ball saved by Kinský
🥅 | 90’+1 Goal, 2-1, (Tottenham Hotspur), Mathys Tel
🗒️ | A totally undeserved, unmerited and simply misleading goal for Tottenham, really annoying to lose a clean sheet and not have at least 5 goals on the board.
🕒 | 90’+5 Aston Villa 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
🗒️ | An easy easy win for Villa that could and probably should have been 7-0 on the balance of play however the game was notable for two things, the debuts, and the appalling refereeing on 75’. At some point the PGMOL needs to be investigated. Thankfully unlike his last dodgy performance, Taylor couldn’t influence the result.

🟢 | 1’ Debut, Axel Disasi
💥 | 3’ Morgan Rogers brought down by the ‘keeper after a John McGinn ball over the top
🎥 | 3’ VAR Check says no foul but keeper rushed out, Rogers down, no booking for a dive, so what was it then?
❗ | 8’ Chance! Ollie Watkins shot blocked
🗒️ | 10’ Villa all over Ipswich with last ditch clearances all across the box from the away side, it still seems really odd that there wasn’t an early 🟥 red card for the ‘keeper or 🟨 for Rogers if he dived but no replay shown
❗ | 14’ Chance! Donyell Malen shot blocked from a Morgan Rogers pass
🚑 | 16’ Player injured on field of play, Boubacar Kamara
🔁 | 16’ Sub off, Boubacar Kamara, Sub on, Tyrone Mings
🗒️ | Yet again Villa lose a player to injury in the first half - that’s the eight time in the last 11 games
❗ | 26’ Chance! Donyell Malen shot from an Ollie Watkins cut back
❗ | 26’ Chance! Lucas Digne over
❗❗ | 34’ Huge Chance!! Ollie Watkins can’t beat the ‘keeper from Axel Disasi’s pass
❗ | 38’ Chance! Youri Tielemans wide from Morgan Rogers’ ball
🗒️ | 40’ Ipswich are not in this game but Villa cannot yet take a chance
💥 | 40’ Jacob Ramsey pulled down on edge of the area by Tuanzebe
🟥 | 40’ Second 🟨 yellow for Tuanzebe, off! Ipswich down to 10
❗ | 42’ Chance! John McGinn shot blocked from Youri Tielemans’ ball in
❗ | 43’ Chance! Andrés García shot blocked
❗ | 44’ Chance! Morgan Rogers’ shot from Ollie Watkins’ pass saved
🕒 | 45’+5 HT Aston Villa 0-0 Ipswich Town
🔁 | 46’ Sub off, Lucas Digne, Sub on, Ian Maatsen
🔁 | 46’ Sub off, Jacob Ramsey, Sub on, Marcus Rashford
❗ | 49’ Chance! Marcus Rashford shot saved from John McGinn ball in
❗ | 50’ Chance! Ian Maatsen wide
❗ | 53’ Chance! Morgan Rogers wide from Marcus Rashford’s ball
🥅 | 56’ Goal, (Ipswich Town), Liam Delap
🗒️ | Unbelievable, not in the game and the 10-men defensive wall take the lead after woeful defending from the Villa backline, this will probably be very difficult to turn around now
❗ | 58’ Chance! Ian Maatsen shot from a Youri Tielemans pass is saved
🔁 | 63’ Sub off, Donyell Malen, Sub on, Marco Asensio
❗ | 65’ Chance! Youri Tielemans free kick blocked
💥 | 67’ Marcus Rashford barged off the ball in the box
🎥 | 67’ VAR Check deems no penalty
❗❗ | 69’ Huge Chance!! Marcus Rashford hits the woodwork and the ball rebounds back into play
⚽ | 69’ Goal!, 1-1, Ollie Watkins snaps up the rebound
❗❗ | 71’ Huge Chance!! Morgan Rogers header from Marco Asensio’s ball in is saved
❗ | 71’ Chance! Andrés García shot over from Marcus Rashford corner
❗❗ | 75’ Huge Chance!! Marco Asensio over from Youri Tielemans pass
❗| 78’ Chance! Marco Asensio shot saved
❗| 81’ Chance! Ollie Watkins shot from Marcus Rashford’s ball blocked
❗| 82’ Chance! Marco Asensio shot from Morgan Rogers’ ball blocked
❗❗ | 84’ Huge Chance!! Marcus Rashford wide
❗| 87’ Chance! Morgan Rogers shot from Ian Maatsen’s ball blocked
🗒️ | 4’ Injury time shown despite subs and injury breaks… strange
❗| 90’+1 Chance! Marco Asensio shot blocked
❗| 90’+3 Chance! Morgan Rogers wide from Marcus Rashford’s ball
🕒 | 90’+6 FT Aston Villa 1-1 Ipswich Town

💥 | 5’ van Dijk fires well over
💥 | 5’ John McGinn concedes a sloppy corner
💥 | 6’ Tyrone Mings blocks Jota’s shot
💥 | 7’ John McGinn plays Liverpool in, Jota wide
🗒️ | 10’ Axel Disasi maraudes forward, Morgan Rogers’ cross blocked
🗒️ | 12’ Marcus Rashford seeing the ball a lot but can’t get the final pass as Liverpool throw bodies at the ball
🆘 | 13’ Szoboszlai fouls Tielemans, referee Pawson awards the free kick
❗| 14’ Chance! Marco Asensio desperately defended by Konate before Alisson punches behind
🗒️ | 14’ Villa pressurising runaway leaders Liverpool
🆘 | 16’ Szoboszlai fouls Tielemans, referee Pawson does nothing, poor
⚽ | 18’ Goal, 1-0, Marcus Rashford, Assist by Marco Asensio
🆘 | 18’ Linesman flags for offside, referee Pawson disallows goal
🗒️ | 19’ Emi Martínez comes off his line to clear
🗒️ | 20’ Emi Martínez comes off his line to block
🗒️ | 23’ Andrés García maraudes forwards and wins a corner
🗒️ | 23’ Corner taken but referee Pawson stops game
🟨 | 23’ Booking, Axel Disasi
🗒️ | 23’ Disasi booked for appearing to push professional irritant and serial diver Alexis Mac Allister in the face. Silly if understandable.
🗒️ | 28’ Andrés García maraudes forwards again before Mac Allister’s dark arts wins Liverpool a saving free kick
🥅 | 30’ Goal, 0-1, (Liverpool), Mohamed Salah
🗒️ | Ridiculous goal, undeserved and emanating from a terrible ball from Andrés García into the penalty area allowing Liverpool to score with ease. To be fair he knew immediately he’d messed up.
🆘 | 35’ Liverpool continue time wasting, this time Trent Alexander-Arnold
🗒️ | 37’ Mac Allister’s dark arts wins another free kick, horrible player, typically Liverpool
🗒️ | 37’ Free kick for Villa after Rashford’s charge, comes to nothing
⚽ | 39’ Goal!, 1-0, Youri Tielemans
🗒️ | Villa deservedly get back parity as Liverpool can’t luck in to more desperate defending again and Tielemans hits a snap shot into the ground and net.
💥 | 40’ Jota shoots so wide it’s almost a throw in
🗒️ | That’s Liverpool’s first real chance of their own making since the 6’. Villa are more than a match for these.
💥 | 40’ Jones wide, much much closer
🗒️ | 42’ Morgan Rogers and Marcus Rashford combine but cannot connect
🆘 | 44’ Liverpool hoof it embarrassingly before Jota fouls Disasi, referee Pawson gives nothing
🆘 | 45’ Gravenberch fouls Morgan Rogers stopping his forward charge, referee Pawson gives nothing
🗒️ | 45’+1 Liverpool not coping with Villa at all well, Konate the latest to resort to desperate defending
⚽ | 45’+3 Goal!, 2-1, Ollie Watkins, Assist by Lucas Digne
🗒️ | Villa deservedly lead, wonderful cross from Lucas Digne for a cushioned Watkins header
🎥 | 45’+3 VAR Check… handball by John McGinn, although that was at least 3 passages of play before the goal, this is PGMOL & Liverpool though so….
🎥 | VAR confirms goal, phew, at last some commonsense, firstly it was not in the same phase and secondly Jota had kicked the ball at McGinn’s hand, not even close to being justification for a free kick let alone disallowing a goal 30 seconds later
🗒️ | Liverpool players surrounding the officials to complain, really really poor from the scousers, exactly how they were in the 70’s and 80’s, entitled fools who clearly do not understand the game. Still it is pleasantly surprising that the officials didn’t bow to the Liverpool mafia.
🕒 | HT Aston Villa 2-1 Liverpool
❗❗| 51’ Huge Chance!! Lucas Digne with another fine ball puts in Marcus Rashford who charges at goal and gets his shot in with Alisson nowhere but Konate clears off the line
🗒️ | Liverpool have huffed and puffed in the last few minutes, a few corners come to nothing before a weak shot from Szoboszlai and an easy save for Emi
💥 | 60’ Jota’s shot lands on top of the bar
🥅 | 61’ Goal, 2-2, (Liverpool), Trent Alexander-Arnold
🗒️ | More ridiculous good fortune for Liverpool as a lucky bounce and deflection off Ollie Watkins allows a meandering Salah to get possession before passing to Alexander-Arnold who shoots wildly but it’s deflected past Emi Martínez off Tyrone Mings. Unbelieveably lucky.
🔁 | 67’ Sub off, Andrés García, Sub on, Matty Cash
🔁 | 67’ Sub off, Marcus Rashford, Sub on, Jacob Ramsey
🔁 | 67’ Sub off, Marco Asensio, Sub on, Donyell Malen
💥 | 69’ Nunez misses an open goal
🗒️ | If Villa had a season like 2023-24 then I seriously doubt they’d be behind Liverpool in the table, the visitors are a really overrated side, sitting atop the table due to a lack of competition and not their own endeavours
❗❗| 71’ Huge Chance!! Alisson needs a lucky save off his chest to prevent Donyell Malen restoring Villa’s lead.
🆘 | 71’ Bizarrely the linesman had put up his flag despite no Villa player being even close to being offside, very strange
🗒️ | 75’ Outstanding reading of the game from Emi Martínez who rushes from goal with incredible acceleration and simply picks the ball off the feet of Nunez. Villa really should win this.
🔁 | 78’ Sub off, Lucas Digne, Sub on, Ian Maatsen
🗒️ | 78’ Morgan Rogers on a charge finds Donyell Malen and Liverpool kick it out in panic for a corner
🗒️ | 79’ Corner cleared, another corner won, Villa pushing and pushing
🗒️ | 81’ Villa’s latest corner cleared by Alisson who aimlessly hoofs the ball up the park to relieve the pressure
⚽ | 82’ Goal!, 3-2, Jacob Ramsey
🆘 | 82’ Linesman flags for offside, very very close, that’ll need VAR
🎥 | 82’ VAR Checks and confirms offside but that was hairline, Liverpool have dodged one there
🗒️ | 84’ The Vile Arne Slot is booked for complaining his side are being given a game, literally living off the back of Klopp, no-one believes this is your team Slot.
🔁 | 86’ Sub off, John McGinn, Sub on, Lamare Bogarde
🗒️ | 88’ Liverpool have a corner… so so easy for Villa and Emi Martínez
🗒️ | 90’+2 All Villa as Matty Cash’s delivery is hacked behind for a corner
❗❗| 90’+3 Huge Chance!! Tyrone Mings plays in Morgan Rogers who hits it over, should have been the winner
❗| 90’+4 Chance! Alisson desperate save from Matty Cash’s shot
❗❗| 90’+5 Huge Chance!! Donyell Malen should deliver a fully deserved win for Villa but his shot, excellent though it is, is just milimetres past the post with Alisson beaten
🗒️ | Villa so unlucky not to get the three points against the leaders
🕒 | HT Aston Villa 2-2 Liverpool

💥 | 4’ Quick break and Neto shot blocked
🥅 | 9’ Goal, 0-1, (Chelsea), Enzo Fernández
🗒️ | Chelsea score from another quick break
🆘 | 10’ Fernández foul
💥 | 18’ Fernández heads wide
❗❗| 19’ Huge Chance!! Ollie Watkins shot from Marco Asensio ball saved by Jørgensen
🆘 | 20’ Fernández foul
❗❗| 21’ Huge Chance!! Ollie Watkins shot from Morgan Rogers ball blocked by Cucurella
🆘 | 22’ Neto foul
🆘 | 23’ Neto foul
🆘 | 23’ Persistent fouler Neto is spoken to by referee Oliver but no card produced
🆘 | 25’ Caicedo fouls Morgan Rogers before remonstrating with referee Oliver for no apparent reason
💥 | 27’ Fernández over
❗❗| 29’ Huge Chance!! Ollie Watkins shot from Youri Tielemans ball saved by Jørgensen
💥 | 31’ Emiliano Martínez gathers long range shot
❗| 32’ Ollie Watkins fouled in promising position, referee Oliver gives nothing
❗| 34’ Chance! Ollie Watkins side netting with Morgan Rogers free
❗| 36’ Chance! Jørgensen flaps Ollie Watkins can’t capitalise
❗| 41’ Chance! Ollie Watkins wide
🆘 | 43’ Matty Cash fouled by Cucurella, referee Oliver gives nothing
🚑 | 43’ Matty Cash down with injury
🗒️ | Ridiculous tackle from Cucurella
🚑 | 45’ Matty Cash returns to field of play
❗| 45’+2 Chance! Jørgensen saves
🆘 | 45’+5 Caicedo foul
❗| 45’+6 Chance! Morgan Rogers and Ian Maatsen breakaway but Chelsea’s mass defence holds
❗| 45’+7 Chance! John McGinn shot over
🕒 | 45’+7 HT Aston Villa 0-1 Chelsea
🔁 | 46’ Sub off, Jacob Ramsey, Sub on, Marcus Rashford
🆘 | 47’ Fernández foul
🚑 | 47’ Tyrone Mings down with injury
🚑 | 49’ Tyrone Mings returns to field of play
🆘 | 51’ Marcus Rashford wins a corner but referee Oliver & his assistant award a goal kick, so poor
💥 | 53’ Neto shoots very very wide
🗒️ | Villa playing lovely football but not making the breakthrough with Chelsea nothing like they were in the first 15’
🆘 | 56’ Fernández foul
🆘 | 56’ Enzo Fernández finally booked by referee Oliver for his latest foul
⚽ | 57’ Goal, 1-1, Marco Asensio, Assist by Marcus Rashford
🆘 | Referee Oliver disallows the goal for offside…. didn’t look it at all… can it go to VAR, who knows these days as they make it up as they go along
🎥 | 57’ VAR checking
🎥 | 59’ VAR finally awards the goal, as it looked not even close to offside
🆘 | Terrible officiating from referee Oliver to disallow the goal, they seem to just surrender to VAR and don’t care about the accuracy of their initial decision, PGMOL have a lot to answer for
🔁 | 59’ Sub off, Tyrone Mings 🚑, Sub on, Lamare Bogarde
💥 | 64’ Cole Palmer like Neto earlier shoots very very wide
🆘 | 66’ Caicedo foul
🟨 | 69’ Booking, John McGinn, Bad Foul
🗒️ | John McGinn’s 61st booking and his first offence, Chelsea meanwhile are becoming the dictionary definition of persistent fouling
💥 | 70’ Cole Palmer shoots over and wide
🚑 | 70’ Matty Cash down with cramp
🔁 | 70’ Sub off, Matty Cash 🚑, Sub on, Andrés García
🆘 | 71’ Fernández foul
🗒️ | Nkunku the latest in the book for Chelsea for you guessed it… persistent fouling
🚑 | 72’ Morgan Rogers struggling after another poor Chelsea challenge
❗| 75’ Chance! Marcus Rashford shot from Youri Tielemans pass blocked
💥 | 76’ Palmer shot off the line by Ezri Konsa
🗒️ | Chelsea game plan is literally fouling and playing on the counter with pretty hopeless over optimistic shooting on sight, this game is Villa’s to win and deservedly so
🔁 | 77’ Sub off, Ollie Watkins, Sub on, Leon Bailey
🔁 | 78’ Sub off, Morgan Rogers, Sub on, Donyell Malan
❗| 82’ Chance! Marcus Rashford free kick cleared by desperate last ditch defending
🆘 | 83’ Cucurella assaults Lamare Bogarde in the area, surely a penalty, no reaction from referee Oliver
🎥 | 83’ VAR checking, that has to be a pen
🎥 | 83’ VAR says no foul, no penalty, so how did Bogarde end up on the floor? Why not booked for diving if he wasn’t fouled. So so poor again from the officials.
🗒️ | Chelsea really flatter to deceive, for all their millions they have very little true quality, this is all Villa pass and move
❗| 88’ Chance! Marco Asensio shot from Andrés García ball wide
❗❗| 88’ Huge Chance!! Donyell Malen shot from Marcus Rashford pass saved by Jørgensen
⚽ | 90’ Goal, 2-1, Marco Asensio, Assist by Marcus Rashford
🆘 | 90’+1 Fernández foul
❗| 90’+3 Chance! Marcus Rashford shot from Marco Asensio ball blocked
❗| 90’+7 Chance! Leon Bailey shot saved by Jørgensen
🕒 | 90’+8 FT Aston Villa 2-1 Chelsea

🗒️ | 3’ All Villa so far
🚑 | 8’ Ezri Konsa down with injury
🗒️ | 11’ Villa flying as Morgan Rogers and Andrés García the latest to put Palace under pressure
🚑 | 13’ Ezri Konsa down with injury, looked like an elbow from Mateta
🗒️ | 15’ Andrés García the latest to put Palace under pressure with a cross into the box, Guéhi clears
❗| 21’ Chance! Andrés García again, this time into Youri Tielemans but he can’t connect properly, wide
🆘 | 24’ Foul by Will Hughes not for the first time
⚽ | 26’ Goal, 1-0, Jacob Ramsey, Assist by Ollie Watkins
❌ | 26’ Linesman flags for offside, referee Barrott disallows
🎥 | 27’ VAR confirms offside, no goal
🆘 | 29’ Referee Barrott incorrectly awards a corner to Palace
🥅 | 29’ Goal, 0-1, (Crystal Palace), Ismaïla Sarr
🗒️ | First attack, first shot on goal, from a corner that wasn’t. Palace score completely against the run of play, simply unbelievable
🗒️ | Villa have now conceded a goal from their opponent's first shot on target in 15 of 28 Premier League matches this season
🆘 | 32’ Foul by Will Hughes yet again
🆘 | 35’ Foul by Will Hughes yet again, finally attracting a booking from referee Barrott, given Hughes does this every time it’s a wonder the official wasn’t on it early, oh no it isn’t, that would require some sort of focus and commonsense from a PGMOL official
💥 | 38’ Save from Emiliano Martínez as Sarr could easily have got a second
🗒️ | 38’ Villa on the attack but Mateta hoofs clear, why do 1-11 Palace play like World beaters against Villa, a true bogey team
💥 | 40’ All Palace now, Mateta wide, Sarr involved again
⚽ | 42’ Goal, 1-1, Morgan Rogers, Assist by Ollie Watkins
🗒️ | Bizarre, now Palace totally dominant, Villa score
🎥 | 43’ VAR still checking looks totally onside
🎥 | 44’ VAR disallows goal, what on earth
🆘 | 44’ More ridiculous officiating, they had to seatch for two minutes to find an offside that categorically wasn’t one
🗒️ | Palace are gifted a goal from a corner that should never have been, Villa are robbed of a goal that should have been. Wow.
🆘 | 45’+7 More filthy play from Palace as Muñoz deservedly booked
🕒 | 45’+5 HT Crystal Palace 1-0 Aston Villa
🔁 | 46’ Sub off, Emiliano Martínez 🚑, Sub on, Robin Olsen
🔁 | 46’ Sub off, Andrés García, Sub on, Leon Bailey
🗒️ | Olsen conceded 5 on his last visit to Selhurst Park
💥 | 48’ Immediately total panic in the box in front of Olsen, why oh why have we never invested in a backup
💥 | 50’ Palace free kick, no save for Olsen to make as Palace defend it themselves, thanks lads
⚽ | 52’ Goal, 1-1, Morgan Rogers, Assist by Ollie Watkins
🗒️ | Bizarre, same combination, another goal, let’s see….
🎥 | 52’ Even corrupt VAR cannot find a reason to disallow that one, Villa level
🆘 | 58’ Hughes off before he is sent off being replaced by fellow serial fouler Jefferson Lerma
🥅 | 59’ Goal, 1-2, (Crystal Palace), Jean-Philippe Mateta
🗒️ | Mateta, again, that’s five goals and three assists against Villa for a player who does neither. Embarrassing
🆘 | 63’ Jefferson Lerma foul, surprise
🆘 | 65’ Jacob Ramsey fouled in the box, looks a clear penalty but referee Barrott waves play on. surely VAR will check
🎥 | 65’ Wow that was less than a few seconds look and no penalty awarded, this is very very shady stuff
❗❗| 69’ Huge Chance!! Ezri Konsa hits the bar from Lucas Digne’s corner, should have scored
🥅 | 72’ Goal, 1-3, (Crystal Palace), Ismaïla Sarr
🗒️ | Teams know full well how to play against Olsen, shoot across him, he cannot cope, two goals capitalising on his and therefore Villa’s biggest achilles heel
❗ | 74’ Chance! Marcus Rashford on a charge, brings the ‘keeper out but can’t find an on-rushing team mate
🆘 | 75’ Jefferson Lerma foul, surprise, surprise
🆘 | 76’ Jefferson Lerma foul, surprise, surprise, surprise
🔁 | 76’ Sub off, Lucas Digne, Sub on, Ian Maatsen
❗ | 77’ Chance! Marco Asensio to Leon Bailey but he can’t find a pass either
❗ | 81’ Chance! Leon Bailey from John McGinn ball blocked
🗒️ | All Villa again but we are getting nothing from this
🟨 | 82’ Booking, Leon Bailey, Bad Foul
🆘 | 84’ Jefferson Lerma foul, surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise
❗ | 86’ Chance! Morgan Rogers receives a ball over the top but Henderson comes off his line to save
🆘 | 87’ Jefferson Lerma foul, surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise, surprise and finally booked by referee Barrott
🥅 | 90’+1 Goal, 1-4, (Crystal Palace), Eddie Nketia
❗ | 90’+6 Chance! Youri Tieleman’s header from Marco Asensio’s cross saved
🕒 | 90’+7 FT Crystal Palace 4-1 Aston Villa

❗| 2’ Chance! Watkins in but his ball is cleared
❗| 7’ Chance! Leon Bailey can’t get to Marcus Rashford’s cross
❗| 9’ Chance! Marcus Rashford’s free kick collected by ‘keeper Horvath
❗| 12’ Chance! Marcus Rashford’s cut back put out for a corner
❗| 13’ Chance! John McGinn’s shot saved by Horvath
❗| 16’ Chance! Andrés García cross cleared
❗| 17’ Chance! Marcus Rashford can’t connect to Youri Tielemans corner with goal gaping
❗❗| 18’ Huge Chance! Ollie Watkins in, Horvath makes a great save to put it wide
❗| 19’ Chance! Ian Maatsen shoots wide
❗❗| 20’ Huge Chance! Youri Tielemans’ shot blocked
🗒️ | 22’ Villa utterly dominant but we’ve been here before, this pressure needs to be turned into goals and quickly
❗| 23’ Chance! Marco Asensio’s shot deflected wide
❗| 24’ Chance! Marcus Rashford’s cross in too long for any onrushing Villa players
🆘 | 26’ Anwar El Ghazi chucks himself to the floor in Cardiff’s first attack, naughty, and was offside anyway
❗| 28’ Chance! Huge error from Horvath whose clearance hits Ollie Watkins but the ball falls kindly to Cardiff to clear - exactly the sort of error that Villa have been punished for all season, typical
❗| 32’ Chance! Andrés García cross taken by Horvath
🗒️ | 32’ 9 Shots, 3 on target, 21 touches in the box for Villa but nothing to show for it
❗❗| 33’ Huge Chance! Leon Bailey’s volley tipped behind for another corner (5th)
❗❗| 35’ Huge Chance! Lamare Bogarde breaks up play before setting Villa on their way, Leon Bailey crosses into Marcus Rashford but he can’t make full contact and goes over from close range… so so unlucky
💥 | 41’ Cardiff have an attack, Anwar El Ghazi well off target
💥 | 42’ Villa being Villa, Cardiff come again and claim another penalty, there was contact but the Cardiff man totally overacted, seen those given mind
❗❗| 44’ Huge Chance! Horvath saves Ollie Watkins’ shot from Marcus Rashford’s ball in
🗒️ | 44’ To not go in at half time leading would be very disappointing and a little concerning given Villa’s tendency to not keep clean sheets
🕒 | 45’+2 HT Aston Villa 0-0 Cardiff City
🗒️ | 13 Shots vs. 2, 5 on target vs. 0, 6 corners vs. 0, 5 goalkeeper saves vs. 0, 31 touches in the box vs. 1, 67% possession. All set up for a quarter final place for Cardiff then.
❗❗| 49’ Huge Chance! John McGinn from Andrés García’s ball, saved by Horvath
❗| 50’ Chance! Andrés García’s shot deflected behind for Villa’s 10th corner
❗❗| 54’ Huge Chance! Ollie Watkins heads wide from Marcus Rashford’s cross
❗❗| 55’ Huge Chance! Marcus Rashford shoots from distance, Horvath saves before desperate defending clears the ball
🚑 | 57’ Cardiff’s centre forward clatters Ezri Konsa who goes down injured
🚑 | 59’ Ezri Konsa returns to the field of play but does not look comfortable, that’d leave Villa without a fit centre back in the entire club
❗❗| 60’ Huge Chance! Ollie Watkins shoots wide
❗| 61’ Chance! Ollie Watkins’ cross is gathered by Horvath
🗒️ | 19 Shots vs. 2, 7 on target vs. 0, 10 corners vs. 0, 7 goalkeeper saves vs. 0, 43 touches in the box vs. 1, 70% possession. Villa have to make this count.
💥 | 67’ Emiliano Martínez gets his first taste of action tonight as he gathers Yousef Salech attempt
⚽ | 68’ Goal, 1-0, Marco Asensio, Assist by Marcus Rashford
🗒️ | Villa finally score with their 21st shot of the game as Asension and Rashford combine for the third time in three games
🗒️ | Marcus Rashford has created six chances for tonight, equalling the most he ever created in any of his 426 matches for Manchester United (six vs Wigan in January 2024).
❗❗| 76’ Huge Chance! Marcus Rashford’s effort is cleared off the line after Ollie Watkins unselfishly crosses from Marco Asensio’s ball in
⚽ | 80’ Goal, 2-0, Marco Asensio, Assist by Leon Bailey
🗒️ | Marco Asensio’s 4th goal in 3 games and Leon Bailey’s first assist since October and only his 3rd of the season
🔁 | 82’ Sub off, Marcus Rashford, Sub on, Morgan Rogers
🔁 | 82’ Sub off, Marco Asensio, Sub on, Jacob Ramsey
🔁 | 82’ Sub off, Ollie Watkins, Sub on, Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba
🔁 | 83’ Sub off, Ian Maatsen, Sub on, Lucas Digne
❗| 90’+2 Chance! Another Andrés García’s cross saved by Horvath, although it hasn’t affected the result it’s yet another ‘keeper coming to Villa Park and put in the performance of their lives, funny old game
🕒 | 90’+4 FT Aston Villa 2-0 Cardiff City

🆘 | 2’ Brugge’s first foul of the tie - Joel Ordóñez. Referee João Pinheiro | 🇵🇹 | immediately calls it, a refreshing change from the fool that was Tobias Stieler | 🇩🇪 | last time here
⚽ | 3’ Goal! 1-0, Leon Bailey, Assist by Tyrone Mings
🗒️ | Brugge made to pay for their cynical fouliing tactics at last as Leon Bailey capitalises on the free kick delivery from Youri Tielemans
🗒️ | 6’ Ezri Konsa on a forward charge before Brugge mess it up and put the ball out of play, they are rattled
❗ | 9’ Chance! Leon Bailey’s ball into Marcus Rashford is hit from a tight angle and Mingolet has to save
🥅 | 12’ Goal, 1-1, (Club Brugge), Maxim De Cuyper
🗒️ | Not in the game and they level, an unbelievably fortunate side these, just what Villa didn’t need, Brugge’s players were having to search for the game, the crowd would have got anxious, typical Villa letting a side off as Leon Bailey was caught for pace or maybe concentration as the left back went on to score
🗒️ | First shot on target yet again
🗒️ | 18’ Not much happening but Villa vastly superior all across the park
🆘 | 18’ Brugge offside, at least the officials are giving them this time
🗒️ | 20’ So frustrating to have conceded that goal, it was early but Villa looked like they could go through the gears, now there is more caution
🗒️ | 22’ Great defending from Axel Disasi as he holds off Tzolis before punching the air in delight… you like to see it
🆘 | 23’ Brugge foul - Maxim De Cuyper
❗ | 24’ Chance! John McGinn swings the free kick in but Brugge manage to clear
💥 | 25’ Brugge shot blocked
🗒️ | 30’ Villa completely in control of the pace and direction of the game, exactly as Unai would have wanted
❗ | 30’ Chance! Leon Bailey cuts inside - of course he does - but his shot is blocked and Mingolet grabs the loose ball
💥 | 31’ Good save from Emi Martínez, a strange side these, look totally out of their depth but shoot early and often and seem to get results from it
🆘 | 33’ Brugge foul - Raphael Onyedika
🗒️ | They’re taking the fouling in turns, sensible, but the ref is calling them
💥 | 36’ Brugge shot blocked by Konsa without much trouble but it came after a quick break following Morgan Rogers’ loose ball, Villa need to tighten up
🗒️ | Give them their due Brugge are exploiting the fact that Villa are playing without a genuine right back, hopefully Unai has confidence that we can keep it level before Cash comes on for the second 45’ to give us more balance and control on that side.
💥 | 37’ Hopelessly tame and over from a Brugge corner
🗒️ | They’re not a nice side to play against these, but the key is they actually aren’t very good, if Villa can step it up and dictate the way we know they can then this would be over.
❗ | 42’ Chance! Ollie Watkins heads Lucas Digne’s cross wide, his first sight of goal, more needed
🕒 | 45’+1 HT Club Brugge 1-1 Aston Villa
🗒️ | Curious first half brought to a conclusion quickly, Villa should have the measure of these, that they haven’t suggest we need changes at half time to assert authority, Cash and Asensio plus Kamara if they are all ok to play 45’ would be very sensible to give greater structure, more midfield authority and the link up play with the forward line.
🆘 | 46’ Immediate Brugge foul - Ardon Jashari
❗ | 51’ Chance! Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers combine but the striker is blocked off by the Brugge defence
💥 | 55’ Another powder puff shot from Brugge and Emi Martínez gets some catching practice
🗒️ | It’s just a mass Brugge defense and the occasional lightning quick breakaway and early shot from the home side. Villa really should confidently take control here.
❗ | 55’ Chance! Now Marcus Rashford and Morgan Rogers combine but the again the move is blocked off by the Brugge defence
❗ | 60’ Chance! Marcus Rashford’s ball in is scooped up by Simon Mingolet before a Villa player can reach it
🗒️ | 60’ another loose ball from Morgan Rogers leads to a breakaway but it’s simple stuff for Tyrone Mings and Emi Martínez to snuff it out, Brugge look a little lost here, the game is crying out for Villa to step it up
🗒️ | 64’ Unai Emery agrees here come 4 subs
🔁 | 64’ Sub off, Axel Disasi, Sub on Matty Cash
🔁 | 64’ Sub off, John McGinn, Sub on Jacob Ramsey
🔁 | 64’ Sub off, Marcus Rashford, Sub on Marco Asensio
🔁 | 64’ Sub off, Leon Bailey, Sub on Boubacar Kamara
❗❗ | 67’ Huge Chance!! Jacob Ramsey squares for Marco Asensio and Mingolet pulls off an excellent save
❗ | 67’ Chance! Matty Cash can’t make his follow up count
💥 | 69’ Under pressure from Tyrone Mings Brugge head wide
🆘 | 69’ Brugge foul - Ardon Jashari
🟨 | 71’ Booking, Unai Emery
🗒️ | Referee João Pinheiro | 🇵🇹 | who has had another good game so far books Emery, not clear why but maybe he just hates Brugge as much as the rest of us
❗ | 73’ Chance! Jacob Ramsey the creator again but Ollie Watkins can’t find the opportunity, incredibly quiet from him today, Rashford up top was worth a go surely?
💥 | 75’ Brugge shoot high and wide, that sort of thing was coming off in the first game, complete fluff from them with only Emi Martínez to beat
🗒️ | As expected it feels like there is a lot more authority from Villa since the changes, Brugge are still breaking and getting the opportunities but Villa are handling with ease right now
🗒️ | Not wanting to tempt fate but this is Brugge’ home leg, they expected the win to take an advantage to Villa Park. Villa conceding one to trail would be annoying but not the end of the World, a Villa draw or a goal would be a superb half time score. Only conceding a couple would be a disaster.
💥 | 81’ Brugge wide
⚽ | 82’ Goal! 2-1, Brandon Mechele o.g.
🗒️ | And there it is! Morgan Rogers with an unplayable cross and a lovely og from Mechele
❗| 86’ Penalty!! Referee João Pinheiro | 🇵🇹 | points to the spot after a foul on Matty Cash
⚽ | 88’ Goal! 3-1, Marco Asensio, pen
🗒️ | What a good game Referee João Pinheiro | 🇵🇹 | has had, not just because we are winning but because he has correctly punished Brugge for what they deserved in complete contrast to the Group Stage game under the woefully bad Tobias Stieler | 🇩🇪 |
🔁 | 90’+1 Sub off, Olloe Watkins, Sub on Lamare Bogarde
💥 | 90’+3 Brugge high & wide, funny
🕒 | 90’+5 FT Club Brugge 1-3 Aston Villa
🗒️ | A horrid side, horrid crowd, horrid tactics and an underlying unpleasantness around the whole club, arrogant inferiority it seems. So this is an incredibly pleasing victory on a great many levels. Now to finish the job off at home.

🗒️ | 5’ Villa on top but Olsen’s long ball is conspicuous, he really doesn’t fit this team bless him
💥 | 7’ John McGinn’s error necessitates a Youri Tielemans clearance before Brentford are ruled offside
❗| 11’ Chance! Jacob Ramsey cuts in and shoots but it’s deflected out for a corner that comes to nothing
🆘 | 13’ Brentford foul, Yoane Wissa
🆘 | 15’ Brentford foul, Mikkel Damsgaard
❗❗| 16’ Huge Chance! !Tyrone Mings can’t make clean contact with Youri Tielemans' free-kick, Flekken saves
🆘 | 20’ Brentford player runs into Axel Disasi but VAR check for a sending off…. really
🆘 | 21’ Brentford foul, Yoane Wissa
🆘 | 23’ Referee Gillett completely misses a blatant foul on Ramsey on the edge of the area
❗| 24’ Chance! Ollie Watkins can’t meet Jacob Ramsey’s delivery
💥 | 26’ Lucas Digne stops a Brentford forward raid with ease
🚑 | 31’ Player injured on field of play, Robin Olsen
❗| 34’ Chance! Youri Tielemans on a charge, Flekken saves
❗❗| 35’ Huge Chance!! Youri Tielemans causes chaos and the Brentford man nearly puts it into his own net
🆘 | 40’ Morgan Rogers fouled by successive Brentford players
❗| 42’ Chance! Leon Bailey’s free kick hits the wall
🆘 | 43’ Yoane Wissa throws himself to the floor clutching his face after a challenge from John McGinn
🟨 | 43’ Booking, John McGinn, Bad Foul
🆘 | 43’ Shocking refereeing to book McGinn there, not a foul in sight
🕒 | 45’+2 HT Brentford 0-0 Aston Villa
🔁 | 46’ Sub off, Leon Bailey, Sub on, Matty Cash
🗒️ | Bit of a mess this formation now, 3 centre backs, 2 full backs or is Cash a direct replacement for Bailey, if so what about the wingers on the bench?
⚽ | 49’ Goal, 1-0, Ollie Watkins, Assist by Jacob Ramsey
⚽ | 50’ Goal, 2-0, Morgan Rogers, Assist by Ollie Watkins
🗒️ | What on earth, 2 in 2 minutes, oh of course here comes VAR
🎥 | 53’ VAR manages to find a reason to disallow Villa’s second, i mean at this point who is really surprised?
🗒️ | What are the odds on a greater offside goal being awarded to Brentford in the next 40’ …. probably pretty high after the Palace experience
🆘 | 55’ Brentford foul, Vitaly Janelt
🆘 | 57’ Brentford foul, Kevin Schade
🗒️ | 59’ Axel Disasi does it again, roaring like a true lion after a good piece of defending, a character that lad
🚑 | 60’ Player injured on field of play, Robin Olsen
🔁 | 61’ Sub off, John McGinn, Sub on, Boubacar Kamara
🎥 | 64’ VAR desperately searches for a penalty that is not there as Matty Cash and Axel Disasi have a purely accidental collision with the Brentford player on the touchline with the ball nowhere to be seen… i mean really, this is truly embarrassing levels of nonsense
🆘 | 67’ Horrible challenge from Kristoffer Ajer on Jacob Ramsey and he’s rightly booked
🔁 | 68’ Sub off, Jacob Ramsey, Sub on, Marcus Rashford
🗒️ | Interesting, not really Unai Emery’s style to make piecemeal subs
🗒️ | 70’ And Axel Disasi does it again, roaring again as he blocks a Brentford shot
💥 | 71’ Brentford hit the post with a speculative shot, not that close in all honesty
💥 | 71’ Brentford wide
🗒️ | They’re building here, that VAR decision may prove very costly
🆘 | 75’ Brentford foul, Yoane Wissa - his 5th or 6th of the game plus a terrible bit of play acting for McGinn’s undeserved booking
🎥 | 79’ Again VAR desperately searches for a penalty that is not there as Axel Disasi collides with Schade, contact yes, foul no, penalty behave. But this sort of nonsense starts to legitimise claims. So silly.
🟨 | 82’ Booking, Matty Cash, Timewasting
🗒️ | Another ridiculous decision from referee Gillett as Matty Cash searches out an opportunity for a long throw and is booked for timewasting
❗| 82’ Chance! Ollie Watkins shot from Lucas Digne’s ball in is just wide
💥 | 82’ Brentford shot saved by Olsen
💥 | 83’ Brentford shot blocked
💥 | 84’ Brentford shot blocked
💥 | 84’ Brentford shot wide after a mess up between Olsen and Watkins
🆘 | 85’ Brentford foul, Mathias Jensen
❗❗| 87’ Huge Chance!! Ollie Watkins shot from Morgan Rogers’ pass saved
🗒️ | 90’ 5 minutes added time signalled, no doubt that means 10’
🗒️ | 90’+2 Brentford bring on a sub to try and eke out some more added time
🆘 | 90’+4 Yet another Brentford foul, at least this one brings a booking
🔁 | 90’+4 Sub off, Morgan Rogers, Sub on, Donyell Malen
🗒️ | 90’+5 Gone past 5’ already
🗒️ | 90’+7 Now 7’, I mean really what is the point, they just make everything up
🕒 | 90’+7 FT Brentford 0-1 Aston Villa

🗒️ | All Villa fans are expecting Brugge to take the lead, so let’s not worry too much about the inevitable
🆘 | 3’ Brugge foul, Hans Vanaken
💥 | 7’ Surprise, surprise, shoot on sight Brugge blast well over, tedious
💥 | 9’ Brugge head wide
💥 | 11’ Ezri Konda blocks an attack
❗| 14’ Chance! Marcus Rashford rushing in, Mingolet gathers
❗| 16’ Chance! Marcus Rashford collects Emiliano Martínez kick and is brought down in yet another piece of cynical play from Brugge
🟥 | 17’ Sending off, (Club Brugge), Kyriani Sabbe
🗒️ | Finally Brugge are finally punished for 197 minutes of cynical fouling
❗| 20’ Chance! Youri Tielemans’ free kick is saved by Mingolet
🆘 | 29’ Brugge foul, Hans Vanaken
🗒️ | 30’ Nothing happening, Villa containing Brugge’s predictable gameplan with ease without bothering to try and add to their total
💥 | 35’ Surprise, surprise, shoot on sight Brugge’s attempt it literally embarrassing as Emi Martínez barely has to move to save
🗒️ | Brugge are the ultimate tiktok team, offer nothing in reality but looks good on the highlights, never close, never on target, literally hit and hope nonsense
❗| 38’ Chance! Ian Maatsen shoots over after Matty Cash delivers a ball in
❗| 40’ Chance! Ollie Watkins does a Club Brugge and lobs on sight to be easily collected by Mingolet
🚑 | 41’ Ollie Watkins down with injury
🚑 | 44’ Ollie Watkins returns to the field of play
🆘 | 44’ Brugge foul, Ferran Jutglà
❗| 45’ Chance! Marcus Rashford creates his own shooting opportunity but can’t capitalise
🆘 | 45’+2 Brugge foul, Hans Vanaken
🕒 | 45’+4 HT Aston Villa 0-0 Club Brugge
🗒️ | Not a great game and Villa could have pressed a whole lot more to take the tie away from what is a very low quality, predictable side with two tactics.. shoot on sight, and foul at will… happily they’re rubbish at both
🔁 | 46’ Sub off, Ollie Watkins, Sub on, Leon Bailey
🔁 | 46’ Sub off, Boubacar Kamara, Sub on, Marco Asensio
❗| 49’ Chance! Tyrone Mings’ shot from Marcus Rashford’s pass saved by Mingolet
⚽ | 50’ Goal, 1-0, Marco Asensio, Assist by Leon Bailey
🗒️ | The subs combine and Villa’s job is done
❗❗| 54’ Huge Chance! Marco Asensio hits the post from Youri Tielemans’ throughball
⚽ | 57’ Goal, 2-0, Ian Maatsen, Assist by Morgan Rogers
🗒️ | Unai Emery’s tactical excellence strikes yet again, Brugge are a poor side who are now being shown for what they are, the spiteful Group game defeat is now well behind us
🆘 | 60’ Brugge foul, Hans Vanaken
⚽ | 61’ Goal, 3-0, Marco Asensio, Assist by Marcus Rashford
🗒️ | Marcus Rashford ladies and gentleman, what a player has been gifted to us as Marco Asensio would be the first to admit
🔁 | 66’ Sub off, Tyrone Mings, Sub on, Pau Torres
🔁 | 66’ Sub off, Morgan Rogers, Sub on, Jacob Ramsey
❗| 68’ Chance! Matty Cash shoots from Marcus Rashford’s ball in but Mingolet saves
🆘 | 69’ Brugge foul, Hans Vanaken is finally booked 🟨 after countless fouls
❗| 71’ Chance! Leon Bailey wide from Ian Maatsen’s ball in
❗| 71’ Chance! Marcus Rashford’s shot from another Ian Maatsen ball is saved by Mingolet
🔁 | 73’ Sub off, Matty Cash, Sub on, Axel Disasi
❗| 77’ Chance! Youri Tielemans header Marco Asensio’s cross is wide
❗❗| 77’ Huge Chance! Youri Tielemans from Ian Maatsen’s ball needs a finger tip save from Mingolet to push it out for a corner
🗒️ | An utter masterclass this from Unai Emery, contain the threat, draw them out, destroy them with a devastating attack, such intelligence, such discipline.
🕒 | 90’+1 HT Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge