​Aston Villa's fine run of form continued as they beat Crystal Palace and kept a clean sheet despite playing for more than 45 minutes with 10 men after Tyrone Mings' sending off.

​Villa were already leading when Mings was dismissed by referee Anthony Taylor towards the end of the first half for a foul on Wilfried Zaha - six minutes after both players had been booked for clashing.

​In an incident-packed game, Villa claimed an eighth clean sheet of 2020-21 - and moved to within three points of second-placed Leicester City.

​Burkina Faso winger Bertrand Traore, who also hit the post, put Villa ahead when he was left unmarked to pounce after Vicente Guaita had beaten away an attempt by Ollie Watkins.

​Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez had set the tone for an entertaining match with a fine save to keep out Zaha in the opening minute, while Guaita twice denied Anwar El Ghazi as well as Jack Grealish.

​Palace looked to take advantage of Mings' dismissal but instead conceded two more goals.

​Defender Kortney Hause nodded the second after Watkins' header had rebounded off the bar before Dutch winger Anwar El Ghazi lashed home the third with a quality finish.

​Hard-working Villa look the business

Having avoided relegation on the final day of last season, Villa are now up to sixth in the table, with two games in hand over Leicester, after making it three wins in four.

​Their latest victory was built on grit and a determination not to let Mings' red card disrupt them.

​The England defender can have few complaints about his dismissal, sticking out an arm to block Zaha's attempt getting away from him, not long after the pair had clashed following a challenge.

​If anything, Mings' loss galvanised Dean Smith's side, who produced a thoroughly professional performance to win at Villa Park for the first time since thrashing Liverpool 7-2 on 4 October.

​Villa have now won the past two Premier League games in which they have finished with 10 men, having earned a 1-0 victory at Wolves on 12 December after the dismissal of midfielder Douglas Luiz.

​Former Chelsea player Traore was excellent before he was substituted earlier than planned following Mings' dismissal, while the hard-working Watkins twice hit the woodwork and El Ghazi produced a moment of pure class with his goal.

​Villa's recruitment has been impressive. Traore has looked an excellent piece of business, having joined for £17m from Lyon in September, while Martinez - who also cost £17m, from Arsenal - continues to impress in each game.

​With his side down to 10 men, Martinez produced a big save to keep out Luka Milivojevic's deflected attempt as Villa claimed a fourth clean sheet in a row, their best run in the top flight since February 2010.
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*The Guardian*
*Saturday, 26 December 2020*

​Brilliant Aston Villa dominate Crystal Palace despite Tyrone Mings red card

​Aston Villa continued their fine run of form with a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace despite playing with 10 men for more than half the match. The hosts led through Bertrand Traoré’s early opener and should have been further ahead when Tyrone Mings was shown two yellow cards in quick succession just before half-time.

Palace were unable to take advantage, though, failing to seriously test Emi Martínez in a second half that saw Kortney Hause and Anwar El Ghazi extend Villa’s lead. The result lifted Villa into the Premier League’s top six – for a few hours at least – while Palace have now conceded 10 goals in two matches after last weekend’s hammering by Liverpool.

Palace nearly made the perfect start when Wilfried Zaha was played clean through, catching Mings on his heels, inside the first minute but Martínez produced a good save. And it was Villa who took the lead with less than five minutes on the clock.

Traoré played in Ollie Watkins down the right and was on hand to thump the ball into the net when goalkeeper Vicente Guaita parried Watkins’ shot into the middle of the box.

Villa looked dangerous every time they came forward and Traoré almost grabbed a second in the 17th minute, cutting in from the right and beating Guaita with a shot that bounced away off a post. The Palace keeper then denied Jack Grealish after he had taken advantage of more holes in the visitors’ defence.

Palace thought they should have had a penalty when Patrick van Aanholt went down under a clumsy challenge from Matty Cash. Having decided against giving a spot-kick, referee Anthony Taylor went to have a second look at the pitch-side monitor before sticking with his original decision to conclude a lengthy delay.

With 39 minutes on the clock, Mings and Zaha were both shown yellow cards for some argy-bargy following a foul by the Palace man on John McGinn. Villa again came close to a second moments later, Watkins causing more trouble down the right before El Ghazi and Grealish both had shots blocked.

The hosts’ failure to add to their lead became a more worrying issue in the 45th minute when Mings stuck out an arm to block Zaha and was shown a second yellow card. He reluctantly left the pitch and boss Dean Smith reacted by withdrawing Traoré, who had been probably the best player on the pitch, to allow Ezri Konsa to come on, while Martínez produced a leaping save to keep out Luka Milivojevic’s shot.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Villa continued to enjoy the better of the game in the early stages of the second half. And the second goal that arrived in the 66th minute was no more than they deserved.

Palace failed to defend an El Ghazi free-kick, Watkins headed against the crossbar and Hause followed up to score his second Premier League goal for Villa. Guaita clawed the ball out but not before it had crossed the line.

With Palace forced to commit more men forward, Villa looked even more dangerous, and, after Watkins saw a shot blocked, the impressive winger teed-up El Ghazi for his fourth goal in four games – a fine, curling effort in off the far post.

The visitors at last applied some consistent pressure, with Eberechi Eze firing at Martínez and Joel Ward curling a cross on to the top of the bar. But Watkins nearly finished the match with the goal he deserved, only for his effort to hit a post.
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