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Five things we learned at Aston Villa

The key talking points from a difficult day at Villa Park.

By Jake Ketley • 20 October 2019

By Paul Hazlewood
Davy Propper up against Aston Villa's Marvelous Nakamba

Here are the five key talking points that we have picked out from yesterday's 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa. Adam Webster broke the deadlock at Villa Park, but Albion ultimately left the West Midlands empty-handed, following Aaron Mooy's sending off and goals from Jack Grealish and Matt Targett.

1. Webster off the mark

Adam Webster scored his first Premier League goal since moving to the club from Bristol City in the summer.

After a string of impressive performances at the back, the 24-year-old proved that he can have just as much influence in the opposition’s penalty area as his own.

By Kieran Cleeves
Adam Webster celebrates his goal against Aston Villa.

Webster rose to meet a 21st minute Pascal Gross free kick, which he sent across Villa goalkeeper Tom Heaton into the back of the net.

Ultimately, the goal wasn’t part of a winning performance, but it is something that will give opposition defences to think about in the coming matches.

2. Mooy's dismissal

In contrast to Webster’s joy, Aaron Mooy had a disappointing day.

By Paul Hazlewood
Aaron Mooy has apologised following his sending off on Saturday.

The Australian picked up two yellow cards in the space of five first half minutes, which left Albion with ten men for just under an hour.

The first yellow was shown after the referee adjudged Mooy of kicking the ball away. Then, just minutes later, he slid in to bring down Jack Grealish, and referee David Coote reached for his pocket once more to give the on-loan Huddersfield man his marching orders.

3. The VAR influence

After playing a part in Albion’s early season matches, the Video Assistant Referee was in the spotlight once again – this time working in favour of Graham Potter’s men.

Ireland midfielder Conor Hourihane thought he’d drawn the Villans level when he slotted home from inside the area. Villa Park broke out into rapturous cheers, which were short-lived, as VAR spotted that there had been a foul by Wesley on Maty Ryan earlier in the build up.

However, Villa would get their equaliser just minutes later, when on the stroke of half-time, Grealish fired in from close range.

4. Positive play

Despite the result, Graham Potter could take plenty of heart and encouragement from the effort and performance levels his players put on throughout the 90 minutes, and even more so after going down to ten men.

A number of chances fell to Neal Maupay.

Even though they were a man down from the 35th minute, Albion still managed to shade the possession 51 to 49 per cent, and also managed to create 20 shots on goal throughout the match, just four less than the hosts managed.

Chances fell to Neal Maupay and Martin Montoya, but in the end, the Seagulls couldn’t find another goal that their play arguably deserved.

5. Downed at the death

Just when it looked like a point had been secured, Aston Villa’s Matt Targett found the back of the net in the final seconds.

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Potter's Villa verdict

Graham Potter admitted after the match that it was ‘heartbreaking to lose with the last kick’, but that he was also proud of his players for the performance they put in.

Incidentally, it is the first time since 2015 that Villa have scored a stoppage time winner in the Premier League, when the now Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke struck against West Bromwich Albion.