📰 Table Of Contents
Match report
A hard-fought 90 minutes at Villa Park on Friday night ultimately culminated in Unai Emery’s hosts putting struggling Leeds United to the sword by two goals to one, piling yet further pressure on the shoulders of Jesse Marsch.
The game’s scoring was opened by way of the very first chance, inside three minutes.
This came as a corner at one end opened the door for Aston Villa to break in ruthless fashion, before Ollie Watkins slipped in Leon Bailey to finish in style:
A RUTHLESS counter-attack from Aston Villa! 🔥
Leon Bailey with a stunning finish! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/LIFn4QE6fb
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 13, 2023
From here, Leeds battled hard, and will no doubt count themselves hard done by not to have pulled one back before the half.
A combination of offside decisions, last-ditch defending and Emiliano Martinez brilliance, though, ensured that it was Villa who headed in at the break with their lead intact.
Emiliano Martínez, WHAT A SAVE THAT IS! 🤯💪 pic.twitter.com/JHiTRe2mEo
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 13, 2023
Then, after at times riding their luck, the Claret and Blue went on to bag what ultimately proved the game’s telling goal.
IT’S TWO! 💥
Buendia’s header loops over Illan Meslier, and the goal is given after a VAR check! 📺 pic.twitter.com/lqMwrW8Qne
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 13, 2023
Leeds, late on, did manage to pull one back courtesy of substitute Patrick Bamford, but the damage had long been done, en route to a 2-1 final scoreline.
Player ratings
Aston Villa
Emi Martinez – 6
Ashley Young – 6.5
Ezri Konsa – 7
Tyrone Mings – 6
Lucas Digne – 5
Douglas Luiz – 7.5
Boubacar Kamara – 7
Jacob Ramsey – 6.5
Leon Bailey – 7
Emi Buendia – 6.5
Ollie Watkins – 5.5
Substitutes: Alex Moreno – 6, Philippe Coutinho – 5.5, Morgan Sanson – 5, Danny Ings – 5
Leeds United
Illan Meslier – 5.5
Luke Ayling – 5.5
Robin Koch – 6
Liam Cooper – 5.5
Pascal Struijk – 5
Marc Roca – 4.5
Tyler Adams – 7
Brenden Aaronson – 4.5
Jack Harrison – 5.5
Wilfried Gnonto – 7.5
Rodrigo – 6
Substitutes: Max Wober – 6, Joe Gelhardt – 6.5, Patrick Bamford – 7, Sam Greenwood – 5.5, Junior Firpo – 5
Fan reaction/Key stats
For all I’ve been critical of Marsch, this is a proper kick-in-the-bollocks game to this point. When you need something to go for you, it doesn’t. Villa have done very little for that lead. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) January 13, 2023
Wilfried Gnonto attempted to dribble past Ashley Young four times in the first half:
◉ 33′ – Young wins
◎ 35′ – Gnonto wins
◉ 43′ – Young wins
◉ 45+2′ – Young winsGnonto was born a month after Young made his professional debut in 2003. 🤪#AVLLEE
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) January 13, 2023
Leon Bailey has now scored five Premier League goals:
⚽⚽️ for Unai Emery
⚽️ for Aaron Danks
⚽️ for Steven Gerrard
⚽️ for Dean SmithHe’s found his favourite gaffer. 😅
— William Hill (@WilliamHill) January 13, 2023
Gnonto is a baller
— Stack Bundles (@Stack_Bundles18) January 13, 2023
Whoever scouted Wilfried Gnonto for Leeds needs a pay rise right now!
He looks an unbelievable talent and only 19 years old! 👀👀
— Football Tipster (@Footy_Tipster) January 13, 2023
Patrick Bamford has now scored 100 league goals in English football:
⚽️ 61x Championship
⚽️ 21x Premier League
⚽️ 18x League OneDone it at every level. 💪
— William Hill (@WilliamHill) January 13, 2023
Leeds have been awful since scoring. Trying to rush everything. The question we have to ask ourselves is there a manager out there that can more out of this current squad than Marsch is currently getting out of them? #lufc
— Tom (@murgs78) January 13, 2023
Where did Gnonto come from? He’s a special player.
— now.arsenal (@now_arsenaI) January 13, 2023
Bad result good performance. Individual errors costing us week in week out. Hard to blame them on marsch
— . (@cplufc1) January 13, 2023
2 goals in 3 games now for Emi Buendia.
The Emery effect? 👀#AVLLEE pic.twitter.com/9vKKgwd5xG
— Sporting Index (@sportingindex) January 13, 2023
Going down, end of. Don’t play with some of the players we’ve got like this and expect miracles. The blokes a sham. #LUFC
— Thinner Than Mckennie (@MMMMMNoodleSoup) January 13, 2023
Leon Bailey is a baller. Would look good in an Arsenal shirt
— gavings.im (@GavingsIm) January 13, 2023
Jacob Ramsey’s game by numbers vs. Leeds:
100% tackles won
83% pass accuracy
33 touches
4/5 ground duels won
3 clearances
2/3 long balls completed
2 key passesGood performance in midfield. 👏 pic.twitter.com/d5xMHOCi2l
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) January 13, 2023
Very good game of football @AVFCOfficial vs @LUFC both sets of players & management teams trying to play progressive football and be on the attack… gotta give the excellent Gnoto a big shout, Leon Bailey & Tyler Adams both also very good tonight… Adams would suit Arsenal tbh…
— MRC (@mistercgooner) January 13, 2023
The bigger picture at Leeds isn’t one of bad luck but they were incredibly unfortunate not to get something from that. So much of the games, plenty of chances, very little ran for them. Villa will be delighted with the result.
A ninth defeat of the season though. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) January 13, 2023
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