Aston Villa 3-3 Leeds - Report
A night which showcased Villa at their exhilarating best and infuriating worst ended in a draw which leaves their season stuck in neutral.
Two goals up and flying thanks to the magic of Philippe Coutinho, Steven Gerrard’s team allowed Leeds to scramble back and claim a draw from a breathtaking game.
The point earned by Diego Llorente’s second half equaliser was, in truth, a deserved one for a visiting team who never let up the pace.
But it was still frustrating for Villa, who looked to be heading for their second win on the bounce when Coutinho, on his first home start, conjured up three goals in the space of 14 first half minutes.
The Brazil international scored the first to cancel out Dan James’ early goal and then twice set up Jacob Ramsey to put the hosts 3-1 ahead.
But the home side, not least captain Tyrone Mings, were shaky at the back throughout and James got Leeds back into on the stroke of half-time with his second, with Llorente then taking advantage of slack defending to net the leveller just before the hour mark.
To make matters worse, Villa then saw Ezri Konsa sent-off late on for two bookable offences. The draw was enough to take Villa above Leicester but they remain in the bottom half and this certainly felt like two points dropped.
Villa’s starting XI was unchanged for the first time since Gerrard took the reins nearly three months ago.
Newest signing Calum Chambers was named on the bench alongside 18-year-old Ben Chrisene, the latter promoted to the No.2 choice left-back following Matt Targett’s departure for Newcastle.
Leeds were missing influential midfielder Kalvin Phillips and striker Patrick Bamford through injury.
The first chance arrived inside the opening 90 seconds. Mings met Douglas Luiz’s corner at the near post but failed to get a clean connection and the ball hit Robin Koch and goalkeeper Illan Meslier before eventually bouncing wide.
Villa’s captain was then in the centre of the action at the other end as the visitors took a ninth minute lead. Mings looked to have dealt with the danger caused by Luke Ayling’s lofted pass but was caught napping by Rodrigo, who fed James to fire a low finish between the legs of Konsa and inside the far post.
Suddenly it was Leeds in command. James forced Martinez into a smart stop at his near post and then – after Mings had missed the chance to level when he headed a Lucas Digne corner wide - hammered a 25-yard effort against the bar.
Villa needed some finesse in the final third and Coutinho began delivering it in spades, first controlling Matty Cash’s low cross in one movement and then sending a right-footed shot inside Meslier’s far post to level the scores.
The Brazil international was starting to see more and more of the ball. Turning away from Ayling in the centre circle, he picked out the run of Ramsey with a perfectly weighted pass. The 20-year-old had Mateusz Klich breathing down his neck but stayed composed to slot a left-footed shot beyond Meslier.
Villa had turned the game around and things got even better. This time Luiz found Coutinho in acres of space down the left and again he picked out Ramsey, charging through the middle. This time the right-footed finish went high into the roof of the net.
Leeds were rocking but not yet beaten. Just seconds before the break, James reduced the deficit when he somehow beat both Mings and Emi Buendia to Rodrigo’s deflected cross to bundle a header over the line.
The start of the second half was pedestrian compared to the closing of the first. Digne almost created Villa’s fourth with a low driven cross which flashed inches in front of a diving Watkins. The striker then came within a whisker of winning the ball in front of Meslier when Stuart Dallas undersold a header back to the keeper.
Villa were dealt a blow just before the hour mark when Buendia sustained an injury and had to be replaced by Carney Chukwuemeka.
And soon Leeds were level. Moments after Mings had done brilliantly to block Pascal Struijk’s header on the line, the skipper scuffed his next clearance from the same player straight to Llorente, who hammered home.
Klich then drilled a shot straight at Martinez after Chukwuemeka was guilty of losing possession deep in his own half.
Coutinho, who had earlier received treatment on his left knee, exited with 12 minutes remaining. Konsa, earlier booked for pulling back James, was shown a second yellow for catching Meslier in the face as the keeper looked to take a quick throw.
Teams
Villa (4-3-3): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings (c), Digne, McGinn, Luiz, Ramsey (Chambers 89), Buendia (Chukwuemeka 59), Watkins, Coutinho (Young 78) Subs not used: Sanson, Ings, Hause, Chrisene, Iroegbunam, Olsen (gk).
Leeds (4-1-4-1): Meslier, Ayling ©, Llorente, Struijk, Dallas, Koch, Raphinha, Klich (Forshaw 85), Rodrigo, Harrison, James (Roberts 85) Subs not used: Bate, Gelhardt, Hjelde, McKinstry, Shackleton, Kenneh, Klaesson (gk).
