Game #5696
Aston Villa
12-3-3, 39 PTS
Friday, 22 December 2023
Drew
1st= (+1)
Last 5: 🟩 🟩 🟨 🟩 🟨
Premier League
Sheffield United
Attendance: 41,651
Villa Park
2-3-13, 9 PTS
Aston Villa
1-1
Sheffield United
Assist(s): Douglas Luiz | 90'+7 |
MATCH SUMMARY
The 15 game winning run is over. More shocking VAR but no matter joint top in the Premier League will do as a Christmas present.
But the even better things? Fighting back with a never say die attitude yet again. And basking in the Villa hate.... nothing tells you are at the top like the vitriol you receive. Forza Villa. Beautiful. Would you swap your league placing for ours? UTV.
KEY MAN
Nicolò Zaniolo, if your loan players are this committed, what does that say about you, Servitore leale.
Well done to Cam Archer too - you'll be back home soon kid, just keep the faith.
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MATCH TIMELINE
Friday, 22 December 2023
💥 | 11’ Ollie Watkins pushed to the ground in the box by Vinicius Souza, Referee Taylor denies penalty
🎥 | 12’ VAR rules no penalty as the error, although admitted, was not “clear and obvious”. Yep really.
🎥 | 14’ VAR rules a handball in the box by a Sheffield United player is not a penalty
💥 | 19’ Handball in the area by a Sheffield United player, no VAR review
🕒 | 45’+3 HT Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United
🟨 | 49’ Booking, Leon Bailey for a bad foul
⚽ | 59’ Goal, 1-0, Leon Bailey
🎥 | 62’ VAR disallows goal after a 3 minute review for foul on the goalkeeper. “Although not immediately clear, replays showed Ramsey had held Foderingham's arm at the set piece.” Clear and obvious?
💥 | 72’ Another Handball in the area by a Sheffield United player
🎥 | 72’ VAR again rules a handball in the box by a Sheffield United player is not a penalty
🔁 | 74’ Sub off, Lucas Digne, Sub on, Álex Moreno
🔁 | 74’ Sub off, Moussa Diaby, Sub on, Jhon Durán
🔁 | 81’ Sub off, Leon Bailey, Sub on, Nicolò Zaniolo
🎥 | 86’ VAR review for a red card offence for a Jhon Durán that did not even constitute a foul.
🥅 | 87’ Goal, 0-1, (Sheffield United), Cameron Archer
🟨 | 90’+5 Booking, Nicolò Zaniolo, Arguing with the referee for what was a terrible performance from the officials
⚽ | 90’+7 Goal, 1-1, Nicolò Zaniolo, Assist by Douglas Luiz
🟨 | 90’+10 Booking, Matty Cash for a bad foul
🕒 | 90’+11 HT Aston Villa 1-1 Sheffield United
ON THIS DAY
Villa go joint top of the Premier League, of course we could have been clear at the top but, hey, who's quibbling.
Aston Villa
European Cup / Champions League: 🏆
League Champions: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Last Trophy: 1995-96
Sheffield United
European Cup / Champions League: ❌
League Champions: 🏆
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: ❌
Last Trophy: 1924–25
FIXTURE HISTORY
Sheffield United
Previous 5 vs. Sheffield United: 🟨 🟥 🟨 🟩 🟥
FIXTURE DETAILS
Season | 2023-24 |
Matchday | #27 |
League Game | #18 |
Manager Game | #54 |
Friday, 22 December 2023
Attendance | 41,651 |
MATCH SUMMARY
Manager: Unai Emery | 🇪🇸 | Hondarribia, 2022-
Referee: Anthony Taylor | 🏴 | Wythenshaw, 2006-
Kick off: 8.00pm
HT Score: 🟨 0-0
FT Result: 🟨 Drew
FT Score: 🟨 1-1
Last 5: 🟩 🟩 🟨 🟩 🟨
MANAGERIAL RECORD
Unai Emery | 🇪🇸 |
GAMES | WINS | DRAWS | LOSSES | POINTS PER GAME
🕒 54 | 🟩 | 33 🟨 | 8 🟥 13 | 1.98
Villa Career Form:
Top 4
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Anthony Taylor | 🏴 | Wythenshaw, 2006- 🆘
Matches Officiated: 30
🟩 : 13
🟨 : 6
🟥 : 11
🆘 : 5
🆘 A surprisingly poor performance from a normally balanced referee, total submission to VAR whilst failing to officiate over the opposition's manhandling tactics. Poor stuff.
Previous 5: 🟨 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩
Last Match: 🟩 20 August 2023, Villa 4-0 Everton, Villa Park
Cards: 🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨
Assistants: Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn.
Fourth official: Darren Bond.
VAR: John Brooks
Assistant VAR: Ian Hussin.
TEAM NEWS
Douglas Luiz and Lucas Digne return from suspension but Boubacar is ruled out for the first of three games following the War of West London. Pau Torres and Youri Tielemans are ruled out too. Clément Lenglet makes his first start for Villa.
TEAM STATS
Squad Average Age: | 26.23 |
Starting XI Average Age: | 27.20 |
Subs Average Age: | 24.98 |
Bench Average Age: | 25.05 |
Oldest Starter: GK Emiliano Martínez | 🇦🇷 | 31.32 |
Youngest Starter: M Jacob Ramsey | 🏴 | 22.58 |
Oldest Squad Player: GK Emiliano Martínez | 🇦🇷 | 31.32 |
Youngest Squad Player: CF Jhon Durán | 🇨🇴 | 20.03 |
Oldest Substitute: LB Álex Moreno | 🇪🇸 | 30.40 |
Youngest Substitute: CF Jhon Durán | 🇨🇴 | 20.03 |
MANAGER
Unai Emery | 🇪🇸 |
Aston Villa
GK Emiliano Martínez | 🇦🇷 |
RB Matty Cash | 🏴 🇵🇱 | 🟨 |
CB Ezri Konsa | 🏴 |
CB Clément Lenglet | 🇫🇷 |
LB Lucas Digne | 🇫🇷 | 🔁 |
M John McGinn | 🏴 |
M Douglas Luiz | 🇧🇷 | 🔥 |
M Jacob Ramsey | 🏴 |
W Leon Bailey | 🇯🇲 | 🟨 | 🔁 |
W Moussa Diaby | 🇫🇷 | 🔁 |
CF Ollie Watkins | 🏴 |
MANAGER
Chris Wilder | 🏴 |
Sheffield United
GK Wes Foderingham | 🏴 |
LB Jack Robinson | 🏴 |
LB Yasser Larouci | 🇫🇷 | 🟨 | 🔁 |
CB Auston Trusty | 🇺🇸 | 🟨 |
RB George Baldock | 🇬🇷 |
RB Jayden Bogle | 🏴 | 🟨 |
M Vini Souza | 🇧🇷 |
M Oliver Norwood | 🇬🇧 |
M Anis Slimane | 🇩🇰 | 🔁 |
M Andre Brooks | 🏴 | 🔁 |
CF Cameron Archer (ex) | 🏴 | ⚽ | 🔁 |
Not necessarily indicative of the actual matchday formation
SUBSTITUTES
🔁 | LB Álex Moreno | 🇪🇸 | for LB Lucas Digne | 🇫🇷 | 74’ |
🔁 | CF Jhon Durán | 🇨🇴 | 🟨 | for W Moussa Diaby | 🇫🇷 | 74’ |
🔁 | M Nicolò Zaniolo | 🇮🇹 | ⚽ | for W Leon Bailey | 🇯🇲 | 81’ |
SUBSTITUTES
🔁 | LB Max Lowe | 🏴 | for LB Yasser Larouci | 🇫🇷 | 58’ |
🔁 | M Gustavo Hamer | 🇳🇱 | for M Andre Brooks | 🏴 | 58’ |
🔁 | M James McAtee | 🏴 | for M Anis Slimane | 🇩🇰 | 76’ |
🔁 | CF Oliver McBurnie | 🏴 | for CF Cameron Archer (ex) | 🏴 | 90’+1 |
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
GK Filip Marschall | 🏴 |
CB Calum Chambers | 🏴 |
CB Diego Carlos | 🇧🇷 |
M Leander Dendoncker | 🇧🇪 |
M Tim Iroegbunam | 🏴 |
M Tommi O'Reilly | 🏴 |
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
GK Adam Davies | 🏴 |
LB Luke Thomas | 🏴 |
M John Fleck | 🏴 |
M Ben Osborn | 🏴 |
CF Bénie Traoré | 🇨🇮 |
SQUAD STATS
1st XI Cost: £193.78m
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 4/11
Homegrown: 1/11
Subs Cost: £25.87m
Team Cost: £219.65m
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 4/14
Homegrown: 1/14
Matchday Squad Cost: £260.43m
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 8/20
Homegrown: 3/20
Total Squad Cost: £380.20m
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 16/35
Homegrown: 10/35
MATCHDAY SQUAD
GK Emiliano Martínez | 🇦🇷 | £15.66m |
GK Filip Marschall | 🏴 | Youth |
CB Diego Carlos | 🇧🇷 | £27.90m |
CB Ezri Konsa | 🏴 | £11.97m |
CB Calum Chambers | 🏴 | Free |
CB Clément Lenglet | 🇫🇷 | Loan |
LB Lucas Digne | 🇫🇷 | £27.00m |
RB Matty Cash | 🏴 🇵🇱 | £14.18m |
LB Álex Moreno | 🇪🇸 | £11.59m |
M Douglas Luiz | 🇧🇷 | £15.12m |
M Leander Dendoncker | 🇧🇪 | £12.88m |
M John McGinn | 🏴 | £2.79m |
M Jacob Ramsey | 🏴 | Youth |
M Tim Iroegbunam | 🏴 | Youth |
M Tommi O'Reilly | 🏴 | Youth |
M Nicolò Zaniolo | 🇮🇹 | Loan |
W Moussa Diaby | 🇫🇷 | £47.66m |
W Leon Bailey | 🇯🇲 | £28.80m |
CF Ollie Watkins | 🏴 | £30.60m |
CF Jhon Durán | 🇨🇴 | £14.28m |
SQUAD STATS
1st XI Cost: £39.66m
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 6/11
Homegrown: 1/11
Subs Cost: £37.04m
Team Cost: £76.70m
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 9/15
Homegrown: 1/15
Matchday Squad Cost: £84.31m
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 14/20
Homegrown: 1/20
Total Squad Cost: £116.13m
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 18/31
Homegrown: 4/31
MATCHDAY SQUAD
GK Adam Davies | 🏴 | £0.26m |
GK Wes Foderingham | 🏴 | Free |
CB Auston Trusty | 🇺🇸 | £5.00m |
RB Jayden Bogle | 🏴 | £3.31m |
LB Max Lowe | 🏴 | £3.31m |
RB George Baldock | 🇬🇷 | £0.64m |
LB Jack Robinson | 🏴 | Free |
LB Yasser Larouci | 🇫🇷 | Loan |
LB Luke Thomas | 🏴 | Loan |
M Gustavo Hamer | 🇳🇱 | £17.30m |
M Vini Souza | 🇧🇷 | £10.33m |
M Ben Osborn | 🏴 | £3.35m |
M Oliver Norwood | 🇬🇧 | £1.89m |
M Andre Brooks | 🏴 | Youth |
M Anis Slimane | 🇩🇰 | Free |
M John Fleck | 🏴 | Free |
M James McAtee | 🏴 | Loan |
CF Cameron Archer (ex) | 🏴 | £18.49m |
CF Oliver McBurnie | 🏴 | £16.43m |
CF Bénie Traoré | 🇨🇮 | £4.00m |
UNAVAILABLE
Injury | 6 |
W Emiliano Buendía | 🇦🇷 | ACL
CB Tyrone Mings | 🏴 | ACL
W Bertrand Traoré | 🇧🇫 | Muscular
M Youri Tielemans | 🇧🇪 | Calf
CB Pau Torres | 🇪🇸 | Ankle
GK Robin Olsen | 🇸🇪 |
Suspension | 1 |
M Boubacar Kamara | 🇫🇷 |
Out On Loan | 7 |
RB Kaine Kesler-Hayden | 🏴 | Plymouth
CF Louie Barry | 🏴 | Stockport
GK Viljami Sinisalo | 🇫🇮 | Exeter
M Morgan Sanson | 🇫🇷 | Nice
M Finn Azaz | 🏴 | Plymouth
CB Lamare Bogarde | 🇳🇱 | Bristol Rovers
M Philippe Coutinho | 🇧🇷 | Al-Duhail
UNAVAILABLE
Injury | 6 |
CB Chris Basham | 🏴 |
LB Rhys Norrington-Davies | 🏴 |
CB John Egan | 🇮🇪 |
M Tom Davies | 🏴 |
CF Daniel Jebbison | 🇨🇦 |
CF Rhian Brewster | 🏴 |
Player Positions:
GK : Goalkeeper
CB, D, B : Centre Back, Defender, Back
FB, LB, RB, WH : Full Back, Left Back, Right Back, Wing Back, Wing Half
M, CH, LH, RH : Midfielder, Centre Half, Left Half, Right Half
W, OL, OR : Winger, Outside Left, Outside Right
F, IF, IL, IR : Forward, Inside Forward, Inside Left, Inside Right, Second Striker, False 9
CF : Centre Forward
Match Symbols:
⚽ | Goal
🔥 | Assist
🔁 | Substitution
🟨 | Booking
🟥 | Sending off
🆘 | Poor refereeing performance
🟢 : Debut 🔴 : Final Game
DEBUT APPEARANCES
FINAL APPEARANCES
MATCH STATS
Possession F | 78%
Possession A | 22%
Shots F | 11
Shots A | 5
Shots on Target F | 4
Shots on Target A | 2
Corners F | 9
Corners A | 1
Fouls F | 11
Fouls A | 16
LEAGUE TABLE
MATCHDAY PROGRAMME
MATCHDAY QUOTES
"We weren't at our free-flowing best that's for sure. Sheffield United were better at their plan than we were tonight.
"We didn't create enough chances and certainly need to improve if teams play like this against us again.
"We're joint-top of the league at the moment. Yes we're disappointed not to go outright top but we need to put it into perspective. We've been on a superb run at home and it was bound to come to an end at some point.
"It shows the mentality shift that this feels like a defeat. We wanted to win, even at the end we put the pressure on."
"I think it's a wee bit harsh [the incorrectly VAR disallowed goal]. Goalkeepers are protected and I'm not sure what the rules are on phases of play. That's one for the referees.
"Things go for you and against you. The last time we played Sheffield United here the goalie carried the ball over the line."
John McGinn shows his class on and off the pitch as only a Villa boy can do.
"Today was a very important match. We had to win, but I'm happy with my first goal in the Premier League, but I prefer three points.
"When I come on the pitch, the team needed a goal. After I scored, it was a little bit better.
"VAR is part of the game. Sometimes it is good, sometimes it is not good. Today we have to win the match not with VAR.
"Villa Park is a difficult place to play. Sheffield is a good team and it was a good team. It was a hard match and we wanted three points."
Nicolò Zaniolo.
*I watched a good game, of course two teams trying to play. But it was not dramatic and with incident.
"We have been on a run and we know things can change and today it did, but I am very happy with the players. I have to accept the draw and I am very, very happy.
"Yes we deserved more than one point. We controlled the game in the first half like we were preparing. They were defending really well. But in 90 minutes we only lost control after VAR refused our goal. We were absent for the minutes afterwards and conceded."
"It was not the correct decision but I always accept the VAR.
"I think today VAR was too much. Not necessary to review as much as they reviewed. And for the goal it was a second action. We recovered the ball and then we score. It was not necessary to review this.
"For me I accept VAR, but it's not necessary always.
*I am very happy and very proud of the players. It was very difficult to keep our winning record. They defended really well.
"We played well for the first 70 minutes and after they refused our goal we were upset and we lost control. They scored their goal and in the end we drew, it was fantastic to get a draw today.
"I accept VAR always. But only today I think it was too much. It was not necessary to review two or three times in the first half. And the goal, it was not necessary. Normally we can accept this goal.
"We are disappointed with the result today but we are accepting it. We have to focus for the next match against Manchester United, it will be incredible."
Unai Emery, illustrates his class once again.
"We work hard on the training pitch. We came here to win and we're disappointed."
Cameron Archer drinks the Kool-Aid.