Analysis: Familiar story as Aston Villa's attack once more fails to fire

Instead, the first Premier League fixture for which Unai Emery had all of his new weapons available produced the most frustrating result of the season to date, a 1-1 draw against an Ipswich Town team who arrived on a four-match losing streak and played for most of the afternoon a man down after Axel Tuanzebe’s 40th minute dismissal.

Only once did Villa’s high-powered forward line find a way through the visiting defences, Ollie Watkins converting after Marcus Rashford’s free-kick had cannoned back off the bar.

As has so frequently been the case this term, one goal for Villa was not enough to take victory, Liam Delap’s poacher’s finish during a rare Ipswich foray forward meaning Watkins’ 11th league goal of the campaign was actually a rescue act.

The hero of the hour, it has to be noted, was visiting goalkeeper Alex Palmer. The Kidderminster-raised keeper, making his Premier League debut following his deadline day move from Albion, produced at least two saves which bordered on world-class territory, while also denying the hosts on several other occasions. Palmer’s performance was certainly good enough to fit a narrative of Villa simply being unfortunate to run into a goalkeeper enjoying one of the best days of his career.