Aston Villa 3 Brentford 3 - Report
Ollie Watkins scored his 18th Premier League goal of the season to earn Villa a draw after they blew a two-goal lead against Brentford.
Unai Emery’s team looked to be cruising to victory through goals from Watkins and Morgan Rogers.
But the visiting Bees then scored three times in nine second half minutes through Zanka, Bryan Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa.
Watkins headed Villa level with 10 minutes remaining and the hosts could not find a winner in a frenetic finish.
Analysis
The club’s top scorer recovered from a hamstring injury which forced him to miss Wednesday’s 4-1 defeat at Manchester City to start and his late leveller ensured this was not quite the complete meltdown from Emery’s team.
It was still two points dropped, however, while the nine-minute implosion in the second period will cast focus on their mentality heading into the crunch period of the campaign as they challenge for Champions League football.
This was just the second time this season Villa had dropped points from a winning position.
The draw saw fourth-placed Villa extend their lead over Tottenham to three points, though the London club have two matches in hand.
Villa will also be without midfielder Douglas Luiz for the next two matches after he picked up his 10th booking of the season in almost the last action of the game.
Writing in the matchday programme, Emery declared “no regrets” over the defeat at City, in which he had made large-scale changes to his line-up.
There were six alterations here too, this time Villa reverting to probably their strongest possible line-up, though perhaps the most interesting team news concerned the visitors, with England international Ivan Toney left on the bench.
It was Bryan Mbuemo, recently returned from injury, who caused Villa most difficulty in the early stages. Only 45 seconds had passed when the striker picked out the run of Sergio Reguilon and the wing-back should have done better than shoot wide of the near post.
Mbuemo came much closer minutes later with a free-kick which whistled past the post, after Carlos had fouled him on the edge of the box.
The Villa defender got the better of that particular battle when a fine sliding challenge prevented Mbuemo from playing in Yoane Wissa, the visitors posing a constant threat on the break.
Villa were dominating possession but lacking precision against a visiting team happy to regularly keep all 11 players inside their own third.
The home team’s best move of the opening half-hour ended with Leon Bailey winning a corner and it almost produced a goal, Mark Flekken keeping out Lucas Digne’s inswinging delivery as it threatened to creep in at the near post.
With six minutes to go until the break, Villa broke the deadlock with the game’s first effort on target. McGinn crossed, Watkins got in between two defenders and though Flekken got a hand to the header, he could not prevent it crossing the line via the post.
The half finished in controversial fashion, referee Michael Salisbury blowing his whistle on the counter attack with Brentford breaking forward in number, much to the visiting team’s frustration.
Their mood then soured further when Rogers doubled Villa’s advantage 32 seconds after the restart. Tielemans picked out the midfielder’s run and he cut inside Kristoffer Ajer before placing a left-footed finish into the bottom corner.
Villa looked in complete control, only to suddenly capitulate as they conceded three times in the space of nine minutes.
All three of the visiting team’s goals came from the left wing, the first when Reguilon’s cross found Mikkel Damsgaard and his mis-hit cross was turned home in equally messy fashion by Zanka.
That should have been a warning to Villa but it was not heeded. Just two minutes later, Reguilon crossed again and Mbuemo escaped Torres to volley home a finish.
At the midway point of the half, the turnaround was complete. Brentford took a quick free-kick, Villa again failed to react and Reguilon crossed low for Wissa to convert a simple finish.
The home supporters and the team looked stunned but with 10 minutes remaining Watkins answered the SOS call. Bailey’s cross took a deflection and Villa’s top scorer climbed highest to head home at the far post.
Villa pushed hard for a winner with Digne volleying over but a see-saw game ended on a sour note as Luiz was booked and will now face a ban.
Key Moments
39 GOAL Ollie Watkins makes the breakthrough for Villa, heading home John McGinn’s cross.
46 GOAL Morgan Rogers doubles Villa’s lead within 45 seconds of the restart. Youri Tielemans picks out his run and the 21-year-old finishes the chance superbly.
59 GOAL Brentford back in it. Reguilon’s cross reaches Damsgaard and his mis-hit shot is turned home in equally messy fashion by Zanka.
61 GOAL Turnaround complete. Reguilon crosses, Bryan Mbuemo gets away from Pau Torres and volleys home a finish.
68 GOAL Brentford lead. The visitors take a quick free-kick, Reguilon is picked out on the left and he slides the ball across for Yoane Wissa to slide home a finish.
80 GOAL Watkins brings Villa level, climbing high at the far post to head home Leon Bailey’s deflected cross.
Teams
Brentford (3-5-2): Flekken, Zanka, Ajer, Collins, Roerslev, Janelt, Jensen (Onyeka 85), Damsgaard (Yarmoliuk 81), Reguilon (Lewis-Potter 76), Wissa (Toney 81), Mbuemo (Maupay 85) Subs not used: Ghoddos, Baptiste, Ji-Soo, Strakosha (gk).
Villa (4-4-2): Martinez, Konsa, Carlos, Torres, Digne (Moreno 90+1), Bailey (Diaby 90+1), McGinn, Luiz, Rogers (Zaniolo 69), Tielemans (Duran 90+1), Watkins Subs not used: Chambers, Kesler-Hayden, Iroegbunam, Kellyman, Olsen (gk).
