Posts

Showing posts with the label Aston Villa

Aston Villa keep fans dreaming of FA Cup success

Image
Preston North End 0 - 3 Aston Villa Marcus Rashford broke his four-month scoring drought to send Aston Villa into the FA Cup semi-finals with victory over Preston at Deepdale. Author - Paul Woods Stadium - Deepdale After a few missed chances against the competition's last remaining Championship team, Rashford finally scored by tapping in Lucas Digne's cutback in the 58th minute. Five minutes later Rashford kept his nerve to send David Cornell the wrong way with his penalty after Morgan Rogers had been fouled by Andrew Hughes. These were Rashford's first goals since his double against Everton on December 1st   and they kept Villa's hopes alive of winning the FA Cup for the first time since 1957.  Preston battled hard but a clear gulf in class was only underlined by the absence through injury of first-choice goalkeeper Freddie Woodman and on-loan defender Kaine Kasler-Hayden, who was unable to play against his parent club. Once in front, Villa tightened their grip and...

Villa take potentially vital lead to second leg

Image
Club Brugge 1 - 3 Aston Villa Aston Villa took control of their Champions League last-16 tie with a 3-1 victory over Club Brugge, capitalising on a late collapse from the Belgian side to gain an advantage ahead of next Wednesdayā€™s second leg. Author - Jamie P Stadium - Jan Breydelstadion Pictures from the away end Brugge had looked the more composed team for much of the contest but were left to rue their own mistakes after conceding twice in the closing stages against an underwhelming Villa. The hostsā€™ downfall began when Brandon Mechele inadvertently turned Morgan Rogersā€™ cross into his own net. Just five minutes later, a careless challenge from Christos Tzolis on Matty Cash gifted Villa a penalty, which Marco Asensio confidently dispatched. The three-time Champions League winner has now scored three goals in his last two appearances for the club. How the match unfolded Leon Bailey gave Villa the perfect start, volleying home inside three minutes to put the visitors in front. ...

Asensio was the star of the show for Aston Villa

Image
Aston Villa 2 - 0 Cardiff City Marco Asensio was the star of the show for Aston Villa again as he helped them secure a deserved 2-0 win over Championship strugglers Cardiff City in the FA Cup. Author - Jamie P Stadium - Villa Park The hosts maintained control throughout the match but faced a strong performance from visiting goalkeeper Ethan Horvath, who made several crucial saves to keep Cardiff competitive. In a clash of attack versus defense, the hosts struggled to break down Cardiff's low block. However, they eventually found the breakthrough when Marco Asensio scored from a precise cross by Marcus Rashford. Asensio secured the win in the 80th minute with another clinical finish, converting a cross from Leon Bailey. This was his fourth goal since joining on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in January. This could still be a landmark year for Aston Villa This year for Villa could yet be one for the history books, with Unai Emeryā€™s side still in the hunt for silverware on two fron...

Cardiff City and Aston Villa dreaming of Wembley again

Image
Aston Villa v Cardiff City preview  FA Cup 5th round weekend kicks off with Cardiff  City travelling to Aston Villa. Author - Sean M It's 17 years since Cardiff reached the FA Cup final and they still have an opportunity to go one better in 2025. The home side in this encounter, Aston Villa, last reached the final ten years ago. They certainly have the quality to go all the way. Can Villa maintain a charge on multiple fronts? Aston Villa are heading into a crucial stage of the season, juggling multiple competitions. They're still in the Champions League and pushing for a top-four finish in the Premier League to secure a return to Europeā€™s elite next season. The big question is whether theyā€™ll also go all-in on the FA Cup. Unai Emery will want to compete on all fronts, but we've already seen how the packed schedule has stretched his squad. That said, this is exactly where Villa fans want their club to beā€”fighting on multiple fronts as the season reaches its climax. Even ...

Palace sweep Villa aside

Image
Crystal Palace 4 - 1 Aston Villa Ismaila Sarrā€™s brace inspired a ruthless Crystal Palace to sweep aside Aston Villa at Selhurst Park, keeping their push for a top-half Premier League finish on track. Author - Jamie P Stadium - Selhurst Park A closer look at what happened at South London Home form has been a concern for manager Oliver Glasner, with the Eagles securing just two league wins at Selhurst Park before this fixture. However, any concerns pre match vanished very quickly.  Marking his 27th birthday in style, Sarr gave Palace a strong start in the first half. Villa briefly levelled through Morgan Rogers early in the second half, but that only spurred the hosts on to take complete control on a memorable night in SE25. Jean-Philippe Mateta restored Palaceā€™s lead moments later with a superb finish, moving him up to second in the clubā€™s all-time Premier League goalscoring chart with 36 goals. Sarr then grabbed his second of the night before Eddie Nketiah, coming off the benc...

Crystal Palace and Aston Villa eye back-to-back Premier League wins

Image
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa preview Crystal Palace and Aston Villa will both be looking to make it successive Premier League victories when they meet at Selhurst Park on Tuesday evening. Author - Peter Grainger Palace, currently 13th in the table, head into the game on the back of a 2-0 win over Fulham on Saturday, while Villa, sitting in eighth, edged past Chelsea 2-1 later that day. The Eagles are six points adrift of 10th-placed Fulham, having finished in that position last season. A lack of goals has hampered their progress this term, but there is still plenty of time to turn things around. Oliver Glasnerā€™s side claimed victory at Craven Cottage thanks to a first-half own goal from Joachim Andersen, before Daniel MuƱoz secured the points in the 66th minute. That result means Palace have won three of their last four games in all competitions, although all of those victories have come away from home. At Selhurst Park, they have struggled, losing their last two league matches aga...

New signings combine for Aston Villa

Image
Aston Villa 2 - 1 Chelsea New signings Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford combined twice as Aston Villa came from behind to beat Chelsea, grabbing three valuable points in their push for European qualification. Author - Lauren W Stadium - Villa Park An excellent piece of play out wide from Pedro Neto fashioned a ninth-minute opener for Chelsea, with the winger skipping past Ian Maatsen before drilling a low delivery across the face of the goal which only required a slight prod from Enzo Fernandez to turn it past Emiliano Martinez. Although Chelsea appeared to have the upper hand, they failed to maintain control of the match. The introduction of Rashford at halftime proved crucial; he was initially ruled offside, but the video assistant referee overturned that decision. Rashford then assisted Asensio by tapping a Matty Cash cross across the six-yard box, allowing Asensio to score for Aston Villa and level the game. After again being fed by fellow mid-season recruit Rashford, Asensio ...

Liverpool held to gripping draw at Aston Villa

Image
Aston Villa 2 - 2 Liverpool Liverpool extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points after a thrilling draw against Aston Villa. Author - William G Stadium - Villa Park The Reds, unbeaten in the league since their 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest at Anfield in September, were made to pay for defensive lapses and a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal. Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead in the 29th minute, but Villa responded through Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins. Trent Alexander-Arnold then equalised 16 minutes into the second half to ensure the points were shared. With their lead over second-placed Arsenal now extended, Arne Slotā€™s side face Manchester City on Sunday in what could prove to be a pivotal week in the title race. Meanwhile, Arsenal host West Ham on Saturday, knowing that a win ā€“ coupled with a Liverpool defeat at the Etihad ā€“ would put them within touching distance of the leaders with a game in hand. For Villa, Marcus Rashford was handed his ...

Ipswich Town battle to hard-fought draw at Aston Villa

Image
Aston Villa 1 - 1 Ipswich Town Ipswich Town produced a gutsy performance to claim a valuable Premier League point at Villa Park, despite playing almost an hour with 10 men. Author - Marcus Stadium - Villa Park The match had been uneventful until Axel Tuanzebe, facing his former club, brought down Jacob Ramsey on the edge of the area, picking up a second yellow card and leaving Ipswich with an uphill task. Up to that point, the visitors had defended resolutely, and they continued to frustrate Villa even with a numerical disadvantage. Against the run of play, Ipswich took a shock lead when Liam Delap beat Axel Disasi to Omari Hutchinsonā€™s low cross, steering the ball into the far corner to silence the home crowd. As frustration grew among the Villa supporters, Ollie Watkins eventually levelled, reacting quickest after Marcus Rashfordā€™s thunderous free-kick crashed against the crossbar. Villa pushed hard for a winner, with Marco Asensio missing a golden chance before forcing Alex Palm...

Aston Villa sign three-time Champions League winner on loan

Image
Another Deadline Day signing for Villa They have also announced the loan signing of three-time Champions League winner Marco Asensio from PSG. Author - Jack L Marco Asensio becomes the 14th Spanish player to sign for Aston Villa āœļøšŸ‡ŖšŸ‡ø #AVFC [image or embed] ā€” Aston Villa Statto ( @avfcstatto.bsky.social ) 3 February 2025 at 19:11 The 38-cap Spanish international Asensio joins Villa until the end of the current season. During a glittering career, he has lifted European titles with Real Madrid as well as domestic league titles and domestic cups in France and in Spain. He is comfortable playing on the wing as well as in an attacking midfield role. Asensio has also starred on the international stage, helping Spain win the UEFA Nations League in 2023. We believe that the deal does not include an option to make the move permanent. It does offer the player a chance to kickstart his career after a forgettable 18-month spell in Paris, where he made 47 appearances and scored seven goals. H...

Manchester United forward moves to Villa on loan

Image
Aston Villa have announced the loan signing of Marcus Rashford from Manchester United. The England international, capped 60 times by the Three Lions, joins Villa on a deal until the end of the season. Author - Olivia T Who remembers Rashford's outstanding 2022/2023 season? youtu.be/KWFOHlY3Oqk?... [image or embed] ā€” European Super Football ( @superfootball.bsky.social ) 3 February 2025 at 17:41 Marcus Rashford, a product of Manchester Unitedā€™s academy, has racked up over 400 appearances for his boyhood club, finding the net 138 times. During his time at Old Trafford, he has helped United lift the Europa League, two FA Cups, and two League Cups. A versatile attacker capable of playing across the front line, Rashford has also made his mark on the international stage. He has scored 17 goals for England and featured in two World Cups and two European Championships. Posting on his Instagram, Rashford said: "I would like to thank Manchester United and Aston Villa for making thi...

Villa secure Champions League last-16 spot

Image
Aston Villa 4 - 2 Celtic Ollie Watkins played a key role in Aston Villaā€™s victory over Celtic, securing their place in the last 16 of the Champions League ā€“ just hours after Arsenalā€™s interest in the England striker became public. Author - Sean M Stadium - Villa Park Check out this iconic banner from the Villa fans . Watkins restored Villaā€™s lead after they had squandered an early 2-0 advantage, while Morgan Rogers, who set the tone early on, went on to complete a hat-trick in the emphatic win over the Scottish champions. Celtic now face a daunting play-off clash against Bayern Munich. It wasnā€™t all smooth sailing for Watkins, who won a second-half penalty but slipped at the crucial moment, sending his effort high and wide. Villa have no plans to part ways with the 29-year-old forward, especially now that Unai Emeryā€™s side have secured qualification for the knockout stages, finishing eighth in the table. See some of the highlights in the video above. Footage from the Celtic YouT...

Villa suffer Champions League setback

Image
Monaco 1 - 0 Aston Villa Aston Villa missed the opportunity to all but guarantee their place in the Champions League knockout stages after a narrow defeat to Monaco at the Stade Louis II. Author - JP The only goal of the game came in the eighth minute when Wilfried Singo headed in from close range. Emiliano Martinez had done well to block Thilo Kehrer's initial effort, but Singo was quickest to react. Villa struggled to find their rhythm but did create chances to equalise. Monacoā€™s goalkeeper, Radoslaw Majecki, made two key saves before half-time, first stopping Leon Bailey after some neat play by Emiliano Buendia and then comfortably dealing with Ollie Watkinsā€™ shot, also set up by Buendia. The latest Champions League news can be found here . Monaco thought they had doubled their lead early in the second half, but Maghnes Aklioucheā€™s strike was ruled out for offside. Despite the setback, the hosts continued to threaten, twice breaking through Villaā€™s defence, only to be deni...

Bailey seals late winner for Aston Villa

Image
Aston Villa 2 - 1 Leicester City  Leon Bailey struck a dramatic late winner as Aston Villa handed Leicester their fifth consecutive Premier League defeat. Author - JP The Jamaican forward timed his run perfectly to slot home Ian Maatsenā€™s low cross in the 78th minute, securing his first goal of the season. It seemed as though Ruud van Nistelrooyā€™s Leicester might finally halt their losing streak when Stephy Mavididi equalised in the 64th minute. Mavididi capitalised on a rebound after Emiliano MartĆ­nez had produced a fine save to deny Jamie Vardy from close range. Unai Emeryā€™s side had earlier taken the lead with a stunning strike from Ross Barkley , who curled a beauty from the edge of the box in the 58th minute ā€“ his third league goal of the campaign. At 2-1, Bailey nearly put the game to bed with a powerful effort that crashed off the underside of the crossbar. Ollie Watkins had a chance to convert the rebound but blazed his effort over. Villa did suffer a setback when cap...

Christmas drama at Stamford Bridge back in 2007

Image
December 2007: Chelsea 4 - 4 Aston Villa Seventeen years ago, Gareth Barry's late penalty rescued a dramatic draw for Aston Villa in what was a truly remarkable match. Author - Peter Grainger What happened in the match? The tone for a dramatic match was set from the outset as Chelsea made a sloppy start and early mistakes by full-backs Ashley Cole and Paulo Ferreira saw Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor drag efforts narrowly wide. Shaun Maloney eventually fired Villa into the lead with a volley before Petr Cechā€™s blunder gifted him a second. However, Zat Knightā€™s red card swung the momentum, allowing Andriy Shevchenko to convert a penalty. Shevchenko then powered in an equaliser, and Alex smashed Chelsea into the lead. But Villa fought back, with Martin Laursen levelling the score before Ricardo Carvalho was sent off for a reckless challenge. Michael Ballackā€™s superb free-kick looked to have sealed the win for Chelsea, but Gareth Barry kept his cool to make it 4-4 after Ashl...

Manchester City lose again

Image
Aston Villa 2 - 1 Manchester City Manchester City's crisis intensified as they slipped to another damaging defeat at Aston Villa. Author - Macca Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers goals meant Phil Foden's late reply for the visitors was little consolation. Defending champions City have dropped to sixth in the Premier League, nine points behind leaders Liverpool having played two games more, while Villa have moved above them into fifth. It is now nine defeats in 12 games in all competitions for City, who are winless in their last eight away matches, as their season continues to spiral downwards. Pep Guardiola made six changes from the Manchester derby defeat last week but it made little difference during another laboured performance. The latest Manchester City news and stories What's going wrong for the Premier League champions?  Villa, who had won just three of their previous 11 top-flight games, earned a much-needed victory, one which keeps their top-four hopes firmly alive....

Elanga scores late winner for Forest

Image
Nottingham Forest 2 - 1 Aston Villa Anthony Elanga came off the bench to score a dramatic injury-time winner as Nottingham Forest turned a 1-0 deficit into a thrilling 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at the City Ground. Author - Craig H from GMCR Football  The Swedish forward struck in the third minute of stoppage time, threading the ball through Emiliano Martinez's legs to send Forest up to fourth in the Premier League table. Earlier, Villaā€™s Jhon Duran looked set to be the hero once again. Starting back-to-back Premier League games for the first time, the Colombian striker celebrated his 21st birthday in style, powering in a header for his 11th goal of the season. Forest thought theyā€™d equalised when Chris Wood bundled the ball home, but the goal was ruled out for an offside in the build-up. Moments later, Nikola Milenkovic restored parity with a close-range headerā€”his second goal in two games. With the City Ground crowd in full voice, Elanga capped the comeback with his first g...

Villa close to Champions League progression

Image
RB Leipzig 2 - 3 Aston Villa Aston Villa edged closer to securing a spot in the Champions League knockout stages with a dramatic late win over winless RB Leipzig, despite being pegged back twice. Author - Alex W Ross Barkley's deflected effort sealed the victory in the dying minutes after goals from Lois Openda and Christoph Baumgartner had cancelled out strikes from John McGinn and Jhon Duran. The Premier League side made a flying start, taking the lead inside three minutes. Ollie Watkins expertly nodded down Matty Cash's cross, setting up McGinn to smash home from close range. Watkins came close to doubling the lead soon after, narrowly missing Lucas Digne's low cross across the box. However, Leipzig capitalised on a rare mistake by Emiliano Martinez. The Villa goalkeeper misjudged a long ball, allowing Openda to pounce and slot into an empty net. Villa thought they had restored their lead just before half-time when Watkins found the net, but the goal was ruled out fo...

Villa back to winning ways

Image
Aston Villa 3 - 1 Brentford Aston Villa ended an eight-game winless run in style, defeating Brentford 3-1 at Villa Park. Author - Alex W Unai Emeryā€™s side had not tasted victory in the Premier League since their October triumph over Fulham at Craven Cottage. However, they took the lead early on when Morgan Rogers unleashed a stunning curling strike from the edge of the box into the top corner. Ollie Watkins, a former Brentford player, doubled Villa's advantage just seven minutes later. The striker coolly converted a penalty after being brought down by Ethan Pinnock in the area. Despite Brentfordā€™s promising start in possession, they found themselves further behind when Matty Cash smashed home Rogersā€™ pinpoint cross at the far post. Premier League: 2024/2025 season news and stories Discover the latest from Villa Park by clicking here The away side's keeper, Mark Flekken, made several impressive saves, including one to deny Watkins from heading in Villaā€™s fourth early in the...

Chelsea ease to win over Villa

Image
 Chelsea 3 - 0 Aston Villa Cole Palmer delivered a standout performance as Chelsea cruised to victory over Aston Villa, deepening the visitorsā€™ woes as their winless streak extended to eight games. Author - Lauren W Chelsea made a blistering start, with Nicolas Jackson opening the scoring in the seventh minute. The striker finished sharply past Emi Martinez after Marc Cucurella forced a mistake from Jadon Philogene near the Villa box and delivered a precise cross. Enzo FernĆ”ndez doubled Chelseaā€™s lead in the 36th minute with a beautifully taken volley. The Argentine midfielder controlled the ball superbly with his left foot before finishing with his right, capitalising on a well-timed pass from Palmer. The move began with Moises Caicedo winning possession in midfield. Premier League: 2024/2025 season More Chelsea news and stories Palmer capped his impressive display with a stunning third goal in the 83rd minute, curling a sublime left-footed effort from the edge of the box....