Leeds 0 Aston Villa 0 - Report
Villa missed a golden chance to record their first away win of the season as they were held by 10-man Leeds.
Steven Gerrard’s men looked to be in the driving seat when Luis Sinisterra was dismissed three minutes into the second half.
But after Philippe Coutinho hit the post soon after, Villa were unable to find a breakthrough as the hosts stood firm.
Ollie Watkins had the final chance after going through on goal but was denied by goalkeeper Illan Meslier.
Analysis
Watkins had seen two efforts saved by Meslier in a first half Villa shaded. But after the break, the match looked to be theirs for the taking when Sinisterra, booked earlier for a foul on John McGinn, needlessly stuck out a leg to block Douglas Luiz’s free-kick having not retreated five yards.
Coutinho almost immediately hit the post, with Watkins putting the rebound wide. After that, it was a story of frustration for the visitors with neither the introductions of Emi Buendia and Danny Ings off the bench able to spark them.
Villa, already without Boubacar Kamara and Lucas Digne due to injury, suffered another blow when Ludwig Augustinsson was forced off with a hamstring injury midway through his Premier League debut.
The Sweden international had been one of two changes to the team which started the 1-0 win over Southampton prior to the international break, Luiz replacing Kamara in the heart of midfield.
Leeds were playing for the first time since September 3 and their manager, Jesse Marsch, watched the match from the press box as a result of the red card he received in the 5-2 defeat at Brentford on that day.
The Sweden international was involved in the first notable moment of the match when he received a booking in just the sixth minute for catching Rasmus Kristensen late.
Otherwise, it was a scrappy opening with both teams struggling to find any rhythm. Villa looked slightly better, Leon Bailey racing on to a ball over the top and delivering a cross which Ollie Watkins should have left for McGinn, arriving late behind him in the box.
Watkins then brought the first serious save of the match from either keeper with a run and shot which Meslier could only parry, the ball bouncing off Philippe Coutinho, sliding in, and straight back to the keeper.
Coutinho should have done better with a shot from the edge of the box which rolled harmlessly to Meslier.
The hosts then went close twice in quick succession, the lively Luiz Sinisterra drilling a cross which just evaded Rodrigo before the latter sent a long-range effort flying just wide.
It wasn’t great quality but captivating due to the increasingly frayed relations between the teams. Sinisterra, Marc Roca and Rodrigo all went into the book, with Ezri Konsa sparking a mini-melee when he jumped over the latter to win a header.
As the half headed toward a close, Villa carved out two good chances. First, Watkins was denied by the legs of Meslier after latching on to Ashley Young’s well-weighted through ball, before Bailey shot straight at the Leeds keeper following a well-worked attack.
Augustinsson was forced off during a lengthy stoppage time period, Bednarek replacing him off the bench and Konsa moving to right-back.
Referee Attwell left the field at half-time to the sound of boos ringing in his ears and just three minutes into the second half, they got louder when he showed a second yellow card to Sinisterra after the winger stuck out a leg to block Luiz’s quickly taken free-kick.
Villa almost took the lead within seconds of the restart. Bailey crossed from the right and after Coutinho’s acrobatic volley hit the post, Watkins stabbed the rebound wide.
The onus was on the visitors to push on but they lacked cohesion in the final third. Gerrard introduced Emi Buendia off the bench and he went close with a curling effort from distance which flew just wide. Konsa was then unable to direct his header from a Luiz corner on target at the far post.
As the final 15 minutes approached Villa began to make better headway. Young got to the byline and picked out Coutinho but the strike lacked any kind of conviction and trickled wide. Watkins made a better connection with an effort from the left-hand side of the box but sent it straight at Meslier.
Leeds had introduced Patrick Bamford off the bench by then and he brought the first serious save of the afternoon from Villa keeper Martinez with a well-struck drive, Brenden Aaronson unable to convert the rebound under pressure.
Finally, Villa worked a clear-cut opening but Meslier was out swiftly to deny Watkins, just as he had in the first half.
McGinn shot wide in stoppage time before then throwing himself in the way of Matheus Klich’s shot at the other end as Leeds looked to snatch it at the death.
Key Moments
48 RED CARD Luiz Sinisterra is sent-off after a receiving a second yellow card for blocking Douglas Luiz’s quickly taken free-kick.
Teams
Leeds: Meslier, Kristensen (Ayling 68), Cooper, Koch, Struijk, Roca (Firpo 58), Adams, Sinisterra, Aaronson (Klich 78), Harrison (Summerville 78), Rodrigo (Bamford 68) Subs not used: Llorente, Gnoto, Greenwood, Klaesson (gk).
Villa: Martinez, Young, Konsa, Mings, Augustinsson (Bednarek 45+4), McGinn, Luiz, Ramsey (Ings 83), Coutinho, Bailey (Buendia 64), Watkins Subs not used: Sanson, Nakamba, Dendoncker, Archer, Bogarde, Olsen (gk).
