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Premier League | Gameweek 18

Dec 22, 2023 at 8pm UK

Villa Park

Aston Villa
1 - 1
Sheff Utd

Zaniolo (90+7')
Bailey (49'), Zaniolo (90+5'), Cash (90+10')

FT(HT: 0-0)

Archer (87')
Larouci (51'), Bogle (69'), Trusty (90+8')

Aston Villa miss chance to go top as Sheffield United earn draw at Villa Park

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 22 December 2023

Aston Villa miss the chance to go top of the Premier League table, as Sheffield United hold Unai Emery's side to a 1-1 draw at Villa Park.

Aston Villa missed the chance to go top of the Premier League table, as Sheffield United held Unai Emery's side to a 1-1 draw in Friday's clash at Villa Park.

The hosts would have risen above both Liverpool and leaders Arsenal with a victory against the team that entered the match bottom of the division.

Villa dominated the contest from start to finish, but an 87th-minute goal from Cameron Archer sent Sheffield United ahead, and the hosts only managed to snatch a point in the eighth minute of additional time at the end of the 90 through a header from Nicolo Zaniolo.

The result has seen Villa move into second, level on points (39) with leaders Arsenal, while Sheffield United have moved off the bottom and into 19th, swapping places with Burnley.

The hosts will feel that they should have had a penalty in the 11th minute when Ollie Watkins was brought to the ground by Sheffield United's Vinicius Souza inside the box, but VAR agreed with the referee's controversial decision not to award a spot kick.

There was a check for another potential penalty shortly after, with the ball appearing to strike the hand of a Sheffield United defender inside the box, but once again the play resumed with no action taken.

Sheffield United's Vinicius Souza in action with Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins on December 21, 2023 © Reuters

Villa, as expected, continued to dominate the match and had an opening in the 19th minute through Moussa Diaby, but the attacker's strike was saved by Sheffield United goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.

Ezri Konsa then headed a delivery from John McGinn over the crossbar in the 23rd minute, before Watkins hooked over form a central position in the 29th minute, with Sheffield United surviving another couple of dangerous moments at Villa Park.

Villa remained firmly on the front foot in the latter stages of the first half, with Diaby causing problems in a wide position, and Sheffield United were being restricted to the odd counter-attack, but the Blades did manage to keep the score goalless entering the half-time interval.

The pattern of the match remained the same at the start of the second period, with Villa throwing players forward while Sheffield United defended their own penalty box.

The breakthrough looked to have arrived in the 59th minute, with Leon Bailey sweeping a low cross from Watkins into the back of the net at the far post to spark jubilant scenes inside the stadium.

However, there was a lengthy VAR check for a possible foul from Jacob Ramsey on Foderingham, and the referee eventually went across to the monitor and disallowed the goal, with the Villa attacker holding onto the arm of the Sheffield United goalkeeper.

Referee Anthony Taylor disallows an Aston Villa goal against Sheffield United on December 22, 2023 © Reuters

There was another check for a penalty in the 73rd minute, with George Baldock appearing to handle inside the box, but it was again cleared by VAR.

Oliver Norwood tested Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez with a strike in the 78th minute in a rare Sheffield United breakaway, but the home side were quickly back on the front foot, with Watkins firing at Foderingham down the other end.

Konsa almost scored an own goal in the 80th minute, with the Villa centre-back turning a dangerous cross just wide of his post, before Norwood missed the target, with nerves setting in at Villa Park.

VAR had a look at a possible red card late on for Jhon Duran, who raised his elbow into the head of Jack Robinson, but it was eventually cleared.

Sheffield United then took the lead in the 87th minute of the match, and it came from terrific work from Gustavo Hamer, who settled inside a crowded penalty box before picking out Archer, who turned into the back of the net.

Almost immediately, Foderingham made a terrific save to deny Alex Moreno at the far post, but Sheffield United just could not hold on, as Zaniolo headed into the back of the net from a excellent Douglas Luiz delivery in the 98th minute to secure a share of the spoils for Villa.

Sheffield United will be bidding to build on the positive result when they welcome Luton Town on December 26, while Villa are next in action against Manchester United on the same date.