That’s all from me. It was, as Marcelo Bielsa puts it, “a very beautiful game”. Have a marvellous Christmas all. Bye!
Dean Smith talks to Sky:
Poor defending for their goals. I think that’s a problem we’ve had for a while and it keeps rearing its ugly head. The three goals we’ve given away are manageable. The third goal, from a throw-in they score the winner.
If I’m honest I thought they were better than us today. I thought we weren’t good without the ball, dropped off too deep and never really got our press going at all. But with the quality of players we’ve got we can score goals. The officials I thought were very poor all day. They’re a good team Leeds but they make a lot of tactical fouls and not a lot was dealt with today.
I thought we started the second half the better and we could have scored a third, but we’re giving cheap goals away and we have to stop that.
You have to give credit to Leeds, they’re a very good team. I think they’re the best team we’ve played. That’s my first defeat at Villa Park and it doesn’t feel good, that’s for sure. We’ve competed very well with a team that had won five on the spin. We should never have conceded the goals we did.
I wasn’t happy even when we were 2-0 up to be honest. I was more happy with the first 10, 15 minutes of the second half. You can’t afford to give away the goals that we did. We’re halfway through the season, we’re not in the position we expect to be. We’ll try to get more wins and improve that position.
Kemar Roofe has a chat:
That’s got to be the best [goal of his this season], last minute, I didn’t really see much of the ball all game. First half it was hard work, it was all about putting a shift in, concentrating and if you get your chance then take it. I would say [we should have got] two penalties, one first half, one second half, but no comment. The less I say the better. The gaffer told us don’t concede and we’ll win the game. Second half we didn’t concede and we got three goals and we won.
While this is what Adam Forshaw has to say:
I think we had chances, we were creating space in the first half. We’re a fit team now, we’re relentless, we keep going. We played some good football, all we can do is look to the next game. We can just keep doing our job and see where it takes us. It is a cliche but we’ve got an important home game on Boxing Day. It was the half-way point today so by no means have we done enough yet.
Ben Fisher was at Villa Park, and this is what he had to say about this game:
Kemar Roofe snatched victory in stoppage-time to send Leeds United top at Christmas and complete an extraordinary comeback after Aston Villa squandered a two-goal lead. Just as it looked as though Villa would play the unwelcome role of the Grinch, the festive killjoy, a superb second-half riposte by Leeds earned Marcelo Bielsa’s side a sixth straight win after victory in an exhilarating match-up.
Much more here:
That game was totally ace. Two teams completely committed to victory attacking each other incessantly. Fine goals, terrible errors, wild momentum swings and crazy drama, it had the lot.
Final score: Aston Villa 2-3 Leeds United
90+6 mins: And that’s the last action of the game! Leeds fight back from a two-goal half-time deficit to snatch victory at the last, and return to the top of the table in the process!
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90+6 mins: Villa push forward in search of an equaliser, but Leeds usher the ball out of play for a goal kick.
90+5 mins: Alioski cuts inside from the right and curls in a cross with his left foot, as he has done a gazillion times today. It’s not a great cross, and lands on the head of El Mohamady, who is under no pressure. But he unaccountably heads it straight to Roofe, inside the area, who shoots low and hard, and it flies in at the far post!
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GOAL! Aston Villa 2-3 Leeds United (Roofe, 90+5 mins)
Leeds have done it at the death!
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90+2 mins: Klich has a shot from 20-odd yards, which is curling towards the top corner but not quickly enough to stop Nyland reaching it.
90+1 mins: Into stoppage time, and there’ll be about five minutes of it. El Mohamady gets it started by fouling Clarke.
90 mins: “I know how this ends,” insists Abhu Tyagi. “No more goals from here on in. However, these two teams go on a huge run for the rest of the season, setting up a mouthwatering title clash in the penultimate game of the season. Villa come from behind to win 2-1 and thus clinch the Championship. Both are promoted. In the next season, Villa go on to beat Manchester City in the second game of the season for one of their famous wins in history. That is where my football manager save file is at right now, will update you later on.” Crikey.
88 mins: Jansson heads the corner clear. It’s sent forward again and Abraham executes a brilliant cushioned backheel-volley-flick-pass on the right, but the attempted return to him is overhit.
87 mins: Alioski is booked for bringing down El Ghazi, and Villa have a tasty free-kick opportunity on the left flank.
86 mins: This has been an excellent, breathless, incessantly gripping half of football. Both teams are pushing for the knockout blow.
85 mins: Nearly a goal! The cross comes off Forshaw I think, flies goalwards and is beaten away by Peackock-Farrell!
84 mins: Villa have made their final change, bringing Hogan on for Bolasie, and have another corner.
83 mins: Bjarnason fees Abraham, is fouled as he runs forward for a return pass, and Abraham’s shot on the turn hits a defender and goes behind.
81 mins: McGinn gets a booking for fouling Klich.
80 mins: Then Hernandez picks up the ball outside the area, nutmegs Hutton, gets into the box and blasts wide!
79 mins: Down the other end, Alioski cuts in from the right and shoots, Nyland shovelling the ball clear.
79 mins: Now Bolasie crosses low from the left, and it rolls behind his two team-mates and is cleared.
78 mins: Leeds bring Shackleton on for Leif Davis, who carries his giant fringe to the bench.
77 mins: A chance for Villa! The ball comes in from El Mohamady on the right, it’s excellently cleared as Hourihane prepares to shoot but rolls to McGinn, who sends it left to Bolasie, who shoots wildly wide!
76 mins: Twice this half Jansson has been caught on camera chomping on a snack, or at least slurping a gel. He appears to have finished his meal now.
75 mins: Jansson rises for a header, wins it, collides with Abraham and falls awkwardly, and is getting a bit of treatment.
73 mins: Birkir Bjarnason comes on, replacing Whelan.
71 mins: Ayling’s lovely cross from the right finds Roofe and Bree running to the near post. It cannons off one of their feet, into Bree’s face and out for a corner, when it could have gone anywhere!
69 mins: Klich hauls down Hourihane, and is booked.
68 mins: Defensive chaos now, as the ball is played back to Nyland, who casually chips his clearance into the onrushing Alioski, but it clips his shoulder and though it falls to a Leeds player they can’t get a shot away.
66 mins: Hutton gives away a foolish free-kick on the right of goal, but Villa get away with it.
18 - Jack Clarke (18y 30d) is Leeds United's youngest goalscorer since Simon Walton vs Cardiff City in January 2005. Fresh. (via @JRCooper26) #lufc pic.twitter.com/5SKfIrxmRk
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 23, 2018
63 mins: The ball comes in, bounces across the six-yard box, and when it’s turned back goalwards by Roofe from beyond the far post it hits Whelan’s outstretched arms and goes behind. Andy Madley gives another corner, but that should have been a penalty!
63 mins: Nearly a third for Leeds! They roar down the right, Klich runs into the box and his cross was heading straight in until Nyland tipped it over!
62 mins: Anwar El Ghazi was already getting ready to come on before that second Leeds goal, and has replaced Kodjia.
GOAL! Aston Villa 2-2 Leeds United (Jansson, 61 mins)
The equaliser! Leeds win a corner, swing it into the mixer and Jansson outjumps Hutton and heads it in at the far post!
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60 mins: Leeds win a corner, which is held up by a pitch invader.
59 mins: That’s shifted the momentum a bit. Alioski cuts in from the right and crosses to Clarke, beyond the far post, whose header sails wide.
GOAL! Aston Villa 2-1 Leeds United (Clarke, 56 mins)
But it’s Leeds who get the goal! Clarke, the half-time substitute, is fed the ball on the left wing, runs into the box, gets past El Mohamady with upsetting ease, and curls a shot around Bree and in at the far post!
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52 mins: Davis plants a foot onto one of Abraham’s, and the Villa striker goes down clutching a leg.
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51 mins: Villa have started this half excellently. Bolasie, with his back to play hard on the left touchline, brilliantly tricks his way past two defenders, runs into the box and crosses to the back post, but it’s headed away.
48 mins: And another! Kodjia nicks the ball off Forshaw, cuts into the area and shoots over the bar – with Abraham and Bolasie to his left he could perhaps have passed.
47 mins: Nearly a chance for Villa! Whelan’s backheel to Kodjia is weak, but the defender’s touch cannons off Kodjia and runs to Abraham, whose shot is charged down by Jansson!
46 mins: Peeeep! Leeds get the second half started.
Leeds are making a Jack-swap at the break, with Jack Clarke coming on in place of Jack Harrison.
“I suppose Douglas’ withdrawal from the squad due to a ‘sickness bug’ is better than withdrawal due to an actual bug,” suggests Adam Klone-Schoder. “A lot fewer legs would be involved, which is always good.” I’m not sure it’s so positive. Withdrawal due to an extreme phobic reaction to a dressing-room spider would be special.
That was a bright, high-paced and entertaining half, but if they want the entertainment to be sustained most neutrals will be hoping for a Leeds goal early in the second.
Half time: Aston Villa 2-0 Leeds United
45+2 mins: Leeds have dominated possession, had plenty of play in Villa’s half, but it’s Villa who have scored – and they’ve done it twice!
45+1 mins: Alioski cuts onto his left foot and, from just outside the area, curls a shot just wide of the far post.
45+1 mins: There will be a single minute of stoppage time.
44 mins: Nearly a late chance for Villa. McGinn gets the ball in the box with his back to goal and with yellow shirts all around him backheels it to Hourihane, who is offside. It wasn’t immediately clear to me that it was McGinn rather than a defender who prodded the ball through, but I think the officials got that one right.
43 mins: It’s gone a bit quiet and wait-til-half-timely.
40 mins: Harrison crosses from the left, Roofe goes down in the area, and he seems furious not to get a penalty. It looks like Hutton did go into his back just before the ball arrived, but it’s certainly less clear-cut than the last penalty that should have been given against Hutton.
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37 mins: Hernandez takes it, Nyland dives to his left in desperation, the away fans roar … and the ball misses the goal by a foot!
37 mins: McGinn is adjudged to have handled on the edge of the area – he used his upper arm to control a bouncing ball – and Leeds have a tasty set-piece shooting opportunity.
35 mins: The ball is fed to Klich, running into the right side of the penalty area, but with three team-mates to aim for his cut-back is cleared by a defender.
31 mins: Leeds have a shot from the edge of the area, easily saved, but in the build-up Alioski flings himself to the floor inside the penalty area with Hourihane behind him. The referee ignores it, and the two players run away together, bickering.
30 mins: A couple of times so far Abraham has popped up within 25 yards of his own goal to win the ball, showing identical habits of nicely timing his runs into the box at both ends. This time he also wins a free-kick, after going down rather easily over Alioski’s challenge.
28 mins: Leif Davis’s fringe is probably man of the match so far. It’s magnificent, just totally whole-hearted in its commitment to defend the entirety of his forehead. It’s a solid wall of hair.
24 mins: What a chance for Leeds! Alioski cuts in and passes to Klich, who is in space on the edge of the area with just the goalkeeper in front of him. His left-foot shot is weak, and goes straight to Nyland.
24 mins: Leeds have announced that Douglas was withdrawn from the team because of “a sickness bug”.
📰 | Update: Barry Douglas confirmed to be missing today’s game due to a sickness bug pic.twitter.com/qlD3dEgIWa
— Leeds United (@LUFC) December 23, 2018
22 mins: Alioski crosses with his left foot from the right wing, and the ball comes off Chester’s head and loops towards the far corner, where Nyland tips over.
The build-up from @J_Kodjia 💪
— Aston Villa FC (@AVFCOfficial) December 23, 2018
The finish from @ConorHourihane 👌#PartOfThePride #AVFC pic.twitter.com/G9LVft5iy0
19 mins: Leeds win a corner, and Hutton surely fouls Jansson as he tries to stop the Leeds player reaching the ball, but the referee’s whistle remains unblown.
GOAL! Aston Villa 2-0 Leeds United (Hourihane, 17 mins)
That’s a Christmas cracker! Kodjia does excellent work on the right after El Mohamady gives him the ball, spinning past Forshaw, cutting infield and then laying off to Hourihane, who takes a touch and then curls an immaculate shot into the far corner from 25 yards with his left foot!
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15 mins: Leeds have dominated since they fell behind, attacking almost entirely down the flanks and putting in a succession of quality crosses. Though Ayling’s effort here is poor, and floats out of play.
13 mins: Villa win a corner and Kodjia massively outjumps Phillips at the far post to win the header but sends the ball wide.
11 mins: Davis puts in a delicious curling cross from the left, but Hutton tracks Alioski’s run infield from the right and gets to the ball first.
TAMMY ABRAHAM
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) December 23, 2018
That man again! #AVFC lead #LUFC
📺 Watch #AVFC v #LUFC live on Sky Sports Football or follow here: https://t.co/Dnx7OgiiXY pic.twitter.com/o0bo9ducdD
9 mins: Chance for Leeds! It’s a low cross from the right and Harrison at the near post tries to backheel while falling over backwards. It bobbles off him with little pace, and Nyland and El Mohamady combine to claw it off the line and get rid.
8 mins: The ball had looped up into the air and Jansson seemed very likely to win the header. Bolasie jumped into the man, and it seems a clear booking. Jansson is back up, and plays on.
6 mins: Jansson goes down just in front of the benches, and is flat on his back, unmoving. The physios run on, and Bolasie gets booked for putting him there.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Leeds United (Abraham, 5 mins)
The home side take the lead! That’s a lovely goal from a throw-in, as Leeds are picked apart by five quick touches from four different players, the last one from Abraham, who blasts high into the net!
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4 mins: Kodjia has the ball again, and he and Phillips wrestle for a while on the right-hand edge of Leeds’s penalty area, before the Villa player goes over and hits the ball with his arm. Free kick.
2 mins: Villa then break, Kodjia runs onto a flick-on and, with the goalkeeper off his line and poorly positioned, appears to be fouled by Davis. The referee waves play on.
1 min: Peeeeeep! Aston Villa get the game started, and from kick-off McGinn runs straight into two Leeds players and the visitors attack, Nyland forced to claim a decent low cross from the right.
Hands shaken, warm-ups up, it’s time to play.
The teams are out. Leeds now have only six players on the bench.
Late-breaking team news: Barry Douglas has apparently “taken ill” during the warm-up, forcing a late change in defence. Leif Davis makes his first-debut at left-back.
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Ayling is “an important player for our team, because he’s the second captain and of course his skills as a player”, says Bielsa through a translator. He is, I’m assuming, considerably better at communicating in the dressing-room than he lets on in TV interviews.
Dan Friedman has a stat: “Leeds haven’t won this year in any game I haven’t watched live on tv or MBM. And I’m off to play right now, back in two hours. So Villa will definitely get something from this game.” Yep, that seems convincing.
Dean Smith reveals that Tuanzabe has a metatarsal injury and “is likely to be out for a number of weeks”. Bree comes in at centre-back. Kodjia did “really well coming on last week and has earned his place in the team”. A high-tempo match seems likely: “We’ve got to match their work ethic, that’s for sure,” Smith concludes.
So Luke Ayling returns after two months out and goes straight into the starting XI for Leeds, replacing Jamie Shackleton. Jack Harrison comes in for Lewis Baker.
Villa also make two changes: Jonathan Kodjia comes back into the starting XI after getting a goal and an assist in a 24-minute substitute appearance against Stoke, while James Bree, who hasn’t started a game since early October and who has made the matchday squad once in their last 10 games, replaces the presumably injured Axel Tuanzabe.
The teams!
The team sheets are in, and these are the names upon them:
Aston Villa: Nyland, Elmohamady, Bree, Chester, Hutton, Whelan, Bolasie, Hourihane, McGinn, Kodjia, Abraham. Subs: Hogan, Davis, Bjarnason, El Ghazi, Bunn, Adomah, Revan.
Leeds: Peacock-Farrell, Ayling, Jansson, Phillips, Douglas, Forshaw, Harrison, Hernandez, Klich, Alioski, Roofe. Subs: Huffer, Baker, Davis, Shackleton, Clarke, Halme, Gotts.
Referee: Andrew Madley.
Team news: Our line-up for the clash with @LUFC this afternoon
— Aston Villa FC (@AVFCOfficial) December 23, 2018
Kick-off is 1.30pm.#PartOfThePride #AVFC pic.twitter.com/JCBoJwi8u5
📋 | #LUFC Starting XI presented by @Ladbrokes:-
— Leeds United (@LUFC) December 23, 2018
Peacock-Farrell, Ayling (c), Douglas, Jansson Phillips, Klich, Harrison, Alioski, Hernandez, Forshaw, Roofe pic.twitter.com/IBvldKVkiG
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Hello world!
Aston Villa and Leeds go into this match with the most beautifully balanced head-to-head statistics, with their 84 previous league meetings having seen 28 draws, 28 Villa wins and 28 Leeds wins. That’s so deliciously poised it’s almost a shame they have to play again. But play they must, and both come into this game in good form: Villa are unbeaten in seven, having won four of those games, scored at least twice in all of them and led in all but one. Leeds meanwhile have won all five games since their last visit to the Midlands in November, when they lost 4-1 at West Brom.
Leeds go top if they win and stay second if they don’t, while Villa, currently 11th, vault to seventh if they prevail and to eighth if they draw. “It is the last rival that we haven’t played against,” said the Leeds head coach, Marcelo Bielsa. “Aston Villa are a team with a very significant offensive strength. They are good in the collective play and good with their individual players, they also have many good players.
“If we take into account these aspects, there are many similar points to the game against West Bromwich Albion. If you ask me if Aston Villa have players to get promoted, my answer would be yes. Do the have the structure to go up? Yes and they have a great head coach.” What they don’t have, though, is Jack Grealish, out with a calf injury.
So Bielsa thinks Villa are great and their manager is great. So guess what Villa’s Dean Smith thinks of Leeds? “They’ve done brilliantly. Marcelo Bielsa has gone in there and galvanised the squad,” he said. “They have won the last five games on the spin, they are top of the table, they are a good counter-pressing team, high pressing team, with high energy – I think it will be one hell of a good game because both teams play in the same manner. It’s one I’m looking forward to.”
Well, aren’t we all? Welcome one and all. Let’s do this.
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