Orjan Nyland: Aston Villa must learn from mistakes

Sam Baldock’s controversial stoppage time penalty earned the Royals a 1-1 draw, while condemning Villa to a third draw in a row which saw Steve Bruce’s men lose ground on the Championship’s early season pacesetters.

Ahmed Elmohamady had appeared to put Villa firmly on course for victory when he headed them into a 51st minute lead.

But Baldock then struck at the death after referee Darren England pointed to the spot, despite Villa skipper James Chester appearing to clearly win the ball when challenging Josh Sims.

It meant Nyland, who had earlier preserved his team’s advantage with a brilliant double save, was denied a first clean sheet of the season.

He said: “We have to learn from it. When you give the opposition so many chances they will eventually score and it is difficult to keep clean sheets.

“I think we are getting better and better but we have to take the three points when we can.

“In the last two games we have played quite well, especially last Wednesday against Brentford, then on Saturday it should again have been three points.

“I feel this week we have dropped four points in the two home games.”

On the penalty decision, he said: “It was a 50/50 call. Many will give it, many will not.

“But we could have defended the whole situation better, from the first long ball.”

Saturday’s draw mean Villa now sit four points behind the top two of Leeds and Middlesbrough after five games.

Norwegian international Nyland, meanwhile, is confident a defence which has now conceded five goals in three home games will improve.

“I think we are getting better with each game,” he said. “As we get to know each other more we will learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and play on our strengths.”

He added: “It is a marathon. There are only four points to the top. We just have to start winning.

“We can’t get too downhearted. I know we will learn and hopefully not repeat the same mistakes again.”