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ASTON VILLA SCORED TWO GOALS IN STOPPAGE TIME
AT STEVE BRUCE'S SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY TO WIN A
SIXTH STRAIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
ALBERT ADOMAH SMASHED IN ON THE REBOUND TO
PUT VILLA 2-1 UP AND TAMMY ABRAHAM SLOTTED
HOME IN THE FOURTH MINUTE OF INJURY TIME TO
TAKE DEAN SMITH'S SIDE UP TO FIFTH IN THE TABLE.
THE DEFEAT WAS FORMER VILLA MANAGER BRUCE'S
FIRST LOSS SINCE TAKING OVER AT HILLSBOROUGH
AT THE START OF FEBRUARY, ENDING A 12-MATCH
UNBEATEN RUN FOR THE OWLS.
THE GAME HAD LOOKED DESTINED FOR A DRAW
FOLLOWING FIRST-HALF GOALS FROM WEDNESDAY
STRIKER GARY HOOPER AND VILLA'S JOHN MCGINN,
BUT STEVEN FLETCHER MISSED A SECOND-HALF
PENALTY FOR THE HOSTS, BEFORE THE LATE DRAMA.

ADOMAH'S GOAL CAME AFTER KEIREN WESTWOOD

HAD SAVED WELL FROM SUBSTITUTE JONATHAN
KODJIA, AND CHELSEA LOANEE ABRAHAM COOLLY
SCORED HIS 23RD LEAGUE GOAL OF THE CAMPAIGN
WITH ALMOST THE FINAL KICK.
WEDNESDAY STRIKER HOOPER, PLAYING JUST HIS
SECOND GAME SINCE RETURNING FROM A 15-MONTH
INJURY LAY-OFF, HAD EARLIER GIVEN THE OWLS THE
IDEAL START WHEN HE SLOTTED IN GEORGE BOYD'S
CROSS.
BUT MCGINN LEVELLED MIDWAY THROUGH THE FIRST
HALF WITH A SUBLIME HALF-VOLLEY FOLLOWING
GOOD WORK FROM ANDRE GREEN ON THE TOUCHLINE.
FLETCHER HAD A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IT
2-1 TO THE HOSTS AFTER THE BREAK WHEN HE WAS
CHOPPED DOWN BY TYRONE MINGS IN THE BOX, BUT
HIS WEAK SPOT-KICK WAS SAVED BY JED STEER.
THE LOSS SEVERELY DENTED WEDNESDAY'S HOPES
OF MAKING THE PLAY-OFFS AS THEY HAVE SLIPPED
SIX POINTS BEHIND SIXTH-PLACED BRISTOL CITY.
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ASTON VILLA MANAGER DEAN SMITH SAID HIS
PLAYERS WOULD HAVE "A LOT OF BELIEF" AFTER
THEY SCORED AN INJURY-TIME WINNER TO BEAT
WATFORD AND MOVE OUT OF THE PREMIER
LEAGUE RELEGATION ZONE.
EZRI KONSA'S SHOT DEFLECTED IN OFF TEAM-
MATE TYRONE MINGS IN THE 95TH MINUTE AFTER
PEPE REINA HAD LAUNCHED A FREE-KICK INTO
THE PENALTY AREA IN A THRILLING FINISH AT
VILLA PARK.
TROY DEENEY HAD PUT THE HORNETS IN FRONT
WHEN HE POWERFULLY HEADED HOME FROM FIVE
YARDS OUT AFTER GERARD DEULOFEU'S CROSS
FROM THE RIGHT.
DEENEY ALMOST GRABBED A SECOND BUT WAS
DENIED BY AN EXCELLENT REACTION STOP FROM
HOME GOALKEEPER REINA.
THAT SAVE PROVED CRUCIAL AS DOUGLAS LUIZ
EQUALISED WHEN HE SMASHED A LOOSE BALL
INTO THE NET AFTER BEN FOSTER HAD PARRIED
MATT TARGETT'S EFFORT, BEFORE THE LATE
WINNER.
THE VICTORY TAKES VILLA UP FROM 18TH TO
16TH WHILE WATFORD, WHO LOST FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN EIGHT MATCHES IN ALL COMPETITIONS,
DROP INTO THE BOTTOM THREE AND ARE NOW
19TH AFTER BEING 17TH BEFORE THE MATCH.
VILLA, WHO WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF
FINAL IN MAY TO RETURN TO THE PREMIER
LEAGUE, NOW HAVE 25 POINTS FROM 24 GAMES
WITH 14 LEAGUE MATCHES TO GO.
"I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD PERFORMANCE,"
SAID SMITH. "WE DOMINATED THE FIRST HALF
AND WERE UNFORTUNATE TO GO A GOAL DOWN
AS THEY SCORED WITH THEIR FIRST ATTACK.
"BUT THE LADS SHOWED PLENTY OF ENDEAVOUR,
KEPT PUSHING AND GOT THE RESULT TONIGHT.
IT'S A BIG WIN, WE KNOW THERE ARE BIG GAMES
TO COME AND EVERY GAME IS TOUGH.
"IT DOES GIVE THE PLAYERS A LOT OF BELIEF.
TEAMS OF MINE FINISH THE SEASON BETTER AND
I'M EXPECTING A BETTER POINTS HAUL IN THE
SECOND HALF."
KONSA, WHO THOUGHT HE HAD SCORED THE
WINNER HAVING BEEN ORIGINALLY
CREDITED WITH THE GOAL, JOKED HE WAS
"ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED" WHEN TOLD
AFTER THE MATCH IT HAD BEEN GIVEN TO
ENGLAND INTERNATIONAL MINGS.
HOWEVER, WATFORD WILL FEEL THE
CENTRE-HALF WAS LUCKY TO STILL BE ON
THE PITCH AT THE END.
MINGS HAD BEEN BOOKED JUST BEFORE
HALF-TIME FOR A LATE CHALLENGE ON
ABDOULAYE DOUCOURE AND WAS THEN
PENALISED FOR A DELIBERATE HANDBALL IN
THE SECOND HALF, ALTHOUGH THE BALL
HAD HIT HIM AT CLOSE RANGE WITH HIS
ARMS BY HIS SIDE.
REFEREE MARTIN ATKINSON AWARDED A
FREE-KICK BUT DID NOT SHOW MINGS A
SECOND YELLOW CARD WITH THE MATTER
NOT GOING TO THE VIDEO ASSISTANT
REFEREE.
"EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION ON WHETHER
MINGS SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENT OFF - IT
DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I THINK," SAID
WATFORD BOSS NIGEL PEARSON.
"YOU COULD SEE HOW INCENSED OUR
PLAYERS WERE BUT WE'RE IN THE HANDS OF
THE OFFICIALS TO GET THESE DECISIONS
RIGHT ON THE FIELD. IT'S HAPPENED AND
WE CAN'T CHANGE IT."
MINGS ALSO ADMITTED HE WAS WORRIED
HE WAS GOING TO BE SHOWN A RED CARD.
HE SAID: "I WAS CONCERNED, I'M NOT
GOING TO LIE. THE DECISION WENT OUR
WAY. IF THEY HAD SENT ME OFF I COULDN'T
HAVE HAD TOO MANY ARGUMENTS."
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THE SEMI-FINAL SECOND LEG AT VILLA PARK
HAD ENTERED FOUR MINUTES OF STOPPAGE
TIME AND PENALTIES WERE LOOMING WHEN
SUBSTITUTE AHMED ELMOHAMEDY SENT
OVER A SUPERB CROSS FOR TREZEGUET TO
DRILL A FAR-POST FINISH ACROSS LEICESTER
KEEPER KASPER SCHMEICHEL.
IT SPARKED WILD SCENES OF JOY AND A
PITCH INVASION AT VILLA PARK, AS THE
HOSTS REACHED THEIR FIRST SHOWPIECE
FINAL SINCE THE FA CUP IN 2015, WHEN THEY
LOST 4-0 TO ARSENAL.
VILLA - WHO FACE EITHER MANCHESTER CITY
OR MANCHESTER UNITED IN THE FINAL - WERE
INDEBTED TO GOALKEEPER ORJAN NYLAND
FOR A STRING OF MAGNIFICENT FIRST-HALF
SAVES THAT ALLOWED THEM TO GO IN AT THE
INTERVAL LEADING THROUGH MATT
TARGETT'S 12TH-MINUTE STRIKE.
AND THE HOSTS WERE ENJOYING THEIR BEST
SPELL OF THE GAME WHEN KELECHI
IHEANACHO TURNED IN HARVEY BARNES'
CROSS WITH 18 MINUTES LEFT, LEAVING THE
MOMENTUM WITH BRENDAN RODGERS' SIDE.
BUT TREZEGUET'S LATE INTERVENTION
MEANS SMITH'S SIDE WILL BE IN THEIR FIRST
EFL CUP FINAL SINCE 2010, WHEN THEY LOST
TO MANCHESTER UNITED.
"I CERTAINLY LET MYSELF GO WHEN WE
SCORED THAT GOAL," SAID SMITH.
"WE KNOW HOW GOOD LEICESTER ARE, AND
HAVE BEEN THIS SEASON, BUT WE MADE IT AN
ENTERTAINING GAME, SO I'M VERY PROUD OF
THE PERFORMANCE AND THE EFFORT THAT
THE PLAYERS PUT IN.
"WE'VE GOT A PROUD HISTORY IN THIS
COMPETITION AND IF WE COULD GO AND LIFT
THIS TROPHY FOR A SIXTH TIME AS A CLUB
THEN I WOULD BE A VERY PROUD MAN.
"WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH AGAINST
EITHER MANCHESTER UNITED OR
MANCHESTER CITY. BUT THE HARD PART IS
GETTING TO A DOMESTIC CUP FINAL AND WE
HAVE MANAGED TO DO THAT AGAINST A VERY
GOOD LEICESTER TEAM."
VILLA HAD TWO STANDOUT PERFORMERS ON THIS GLORY
NIGHT AS THE HOSTS PRODUCED A FINALE THAT LEFT
LEICESTER WITH NO CHANCE OF A COMEBACK IN THE DYING
SECONDS OF A THUNDEROUS ENCOUNTER.
NYLAND FORMED A ONE-MAN BARRIER AGAINST A BARRAGE
OF LEICESTER ATTACKS AS THE FOXES WENT FOR THE KILL
IN THE FIRST HALF.
THE 29-YEAR-OLD NORWEGIAN PRODUCED AN ASTONISHING
STRING OF SAVES, PARTICULARLY TWO LOW DOWN FROM
JAMES MADDISON AND ARGUABLY THE BEST OF ALL WHEN
HE TOUCHED YOURI TIELEMANS' RISING DRIVE ON TO THE
BAR.
"WE ARE INDEBTED TO ORJAN, WHO MADE THREE GREAT
SAVES. HE WAS REALLY TOP DRAWER," SAID SMITH. "HE'S
CERTAINLY GIVEN ME A CONUNDRUM [ABOUT WHO TO
START IN THE FINAL] BUT IT'S THE TYPE OF DECISION I
WANT."
IT KEPT VILLA IN CONTENTION AND PROTECTING THAT
PRECIOUS LEAD GIVEN TO THEM BY TARGETT, ALLOWING
GREALISH TO EXERT HIS OWN INFLUENCE BOTH AS A
CREATOR AND SOMEONE WHO COULD HOLD THE BALL IN
MOMENTS OF STRESS.
GREALISH SHOULD HAVE SET UP A DEBUT GOAL FOR £8.5M
STRIKER MBWANA SAMATTA, WHO SOMEHOW FAILED TO
EVEN GET A TOUCH ON HIS CROSS FROM SIX YARDS OUT
WITH THE GOAL AT HIS MERCY.
SAMATTA, WHO WAS SUBSTITUTED, WILL HAVE BEEN A
RELIEVED MAN WHEN TREZEGUET PRODUCED THAT
DECISIVE FINISH AND VILLA WERE ON THEIR WAY BACK TO
WEMBLEY, A PLACE THEY LAST SAMPLED WHEN THEY BEAT
DERBY COUNTY IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFFS LAST
SEASON.
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 ASTON VILLA BEAT WEST BROMWICH
ALBION IN A PENALTY SHOOTOUT TO
REACH THE CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF
FINAL FOR THE SECOND SUCCESSIVE
SEASON.
TAMMY ABRAHAM'S WINNING SPOT-KICK,
AFTER KEEPER JED STEER HAD SAVED
ALBION'S FIRST TWO PENALTIES, SETTLED
THE SHOOTOUT 4-3 IN VILLA'S FAVOUR
AFTER A GRIPPING TWO HOURS OF
TENSION-PACKED DERBY DRAMA.
TRAILING 2-1 FROM SATURDAY'S FIRST
LEG, ALBION LEVELLED THE TIE WHEN
CRAIG DAWSON FLICKED HOME A NEAR-
POST HEADER FROM A LONG THROW.
BUT, JUST AS MUCH AS DWIGHT GAYLE'S
RED CARD PROVED CRUCIAL AT VILLA
PARK, SO DID THE 80TH-MINUTE SENDING-
OFF OF ALBION CAPTAIN CHRIS BRUNT AS
THEY FINISHED WITH 10 MEN FOR THE
SECOND TIME IN FOUR DAYS.
THEY HELD ON FOR PENALTIES AND,
ALTHOUGH ALBERT ADOMAH'S MISS IN
THE SHOOTOUT BRIEFLY GAVE THEM HOPE
AFTER STEER HAD SAVED FROM MASON
HOLGATE AND AHMED HEGAZI, ABRAHAM
KEPT HIS NERVE TO BOOK A PLAY-OFF
FINAL MEETING WITH EITHER LEEDS OR
DERBY AT WEMBLEY ON 27 MAY.
THEY MEET IN THE SECOND LEG OF THEIR
SEMI-FINAL AT ELLAND ROAD ON
WEDNESDAY, WITH LEEDS 1-0 UP FROM
THE FIRST LEG.
0-0 - HOLGATE MISSED FOR WEST
BROM - SAVED BY STEER TO
GOALKEEPER'S LEFT
0-1 - HOURIHANE SCORED FOR VILLA -
DRILLED LOW AND HARD INTO CORNER
0-1 - HEGAZI MISSED FOR WEST BROM
- SAVED BY STEER TO GOALKEEPER'S
RIGHT
0-2 - JEDINAK SCORED FOR VILLA -
SIDEFOOTED INTO CORNER, SENDING
GOALKEEPER WRONG WAY
1-2 - ADARABIOYO SCORED FOR WEST
BROM - CALMLY FOUND BOTTOM
CORNER
1-3 - GREALISH SCORED FOR VILLA -
SENT GOALKEEPER WRONG WAY
2-3 - GIBBS SCORED FOR WEST BROM -
PLACED EFFORT IN BOTTOM CORNER
2-3 - ADOMAH MISSED FOR VILLA -
BLAZED WELL OVER THE CROSSBAR
3-3 - MORRISON SCORED FOR WEST
BROM - FIRED INTO CORNER PAST
STEER'S RIGHT HAND
3-4 - ABRAHAM SCORED FOR VILLA -
JOHNSTONE GOT FOOT TO LOW
PENALTY BUT COULD NOT KEEP IT OUT
AND VILLA'S PLACE AT WEMBLEY WAS
CONFIRMED
6TH

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 ASTON VILLA WON PROMOTION TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE AND SECURED AN ESTIMATED £170M WINDFALL AS THEY
HELD OFF A LATE DERBY COUNTY FIGHTBACK TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF FINAL AT WEMBLEY.
VILLA, BEATEN BY FULHAM IN LAST SEASON'S FINAL, SEEMED TO BE CRUISING TO VICTORY WHEN JOHN MCGINN
ADDED TO ANWAR EL GHAZI'S FIRST-HALF STRIKE TO PUT THEM 2-0 UP WITH 30 MINUTES TO GO.
HOWEVER, RAMS BOSS FRANK LAMPARD THREW CAUTION TO THE WIND AND HIS SIDE SET UP A FRANTIC FINALE
WHEN SUBSTITUTE JACK MARRIOTT'S EFFORT FROM EIGHT YARDS TOOK A DEFLECTION OFF MARTYN WAGHORN ON
ITS WAY IN.
DESPITE SEVEN MINUTES OF INJURY TIME THEY COULD NOT FORCE AN EQUALISER AND NOW FACE ANOTHER SEASON
IN THE SECOND TIER, WHILE VILLA RETURN TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE RELEGATION IN 2016.
PROMOTION AT WEMBLEY CAPS OFF A REMARKABLE THREE MONTHS FOR VILLA WHO HAD LOOKED OUT OF THE
PROMOTION RACE BEFORE A CLUB-RECORD 10-MATCH WINNING RUN SAW THEM FINISH FIFTH.
PERHAPS UNSURPRISINGLY GIVEN THE VALUE OF THE GAME, THE FIRST HALF WAS A CAGEY AFFAIR.
RAMS MIDFIELDER MASON MOUNT WAS THE FIRST PLAYER TO REGISTER A SHOT ON TARGET WHEN HE FIRED
STRAIGHT AT VILLA KEEPER JED STEER FROM 20 YARDS LATE IN THE HALF.

WITH THE GAME DRIFTING TOWARDS VICTORY AT THE NATIONAL STADIUM BRINGS
THE BREAK GOALLESS, DEAN SMITH'S A SUCCESSFUL END TO WHAT HAS BEEN AT
SIDE LAUNCHED A QUICK ATTACK THAT TIMES A TUMULTUOUS YEAR FOR VILLA.
EL GHAZI FINISHED OFF BY COMING IN DAYS AFTER DEFEAT BY FULHAM IN LAST
ON THE BLINDSIDE OF THE STATIC SEASON'S CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWPIECE IT
JAYDEN BOGLE AND DIVERTING IT INTO WAS REVEALED THE CLUB HAD MISSED A
THE NET WITH HIS BACK. DEADLINE TO PAY HM REVENUE & CUSTOMS
THEY DOUBLED THEIR ADVANTAGE £4M AND IT SEEMED LIKELY THAT STAR
WHEN RAMS GOALKEEPER KELLE ROOS PLAYER JACK GREALISH WOULD HAVE TO BE
MISJUDGED THE FLIGHT OF A SOLD.
DEFLECTED EL GHAZI SHOT AND WITH ADMINISTRATION A SERIOUS CONCERN,
MCGINN BEAT HIM TO IT TO HEAD INTO CHINESE OWNER TONY XIA EVENTUALLY
AN EMPTY NET. SOLD THE CLUB TO BILLIONAIRE
THAT SPARKED DERBY INTO LIFE AND BUSINESSMEN WES EDENS AND NASSEF
THEY GREW INTO THE GAME BEFORE SAWIRIS IN JULY.
THE COMBINATION OF FORWARDS THEY DECIDED TO STICK WITH BOSS STEVE
MARRIOTT AND WAGHORN GOT THEM BRUCE UNTIL OCTOBER, BUT AFTER AN
BACK IN IT. INDIFFERENT START TO THE SEASON,
BUT IT WAS NOT ENOUGH AND THEY SACKED THE 58-YEAR-OLD AFTER A 3-3
NOW FACE A 12TH SUCCESSIVE SEASON DRAW WITH PRESTON, WHICH HAD SEEN AN
IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. IRATE FAN THROW A CABBAGE AT HIM.
 T H
4 OT
S P
 PREMIER LEAGUE
VILLA 2-1 SPURS
SAT 13 MAY 2023
UNAI EMERY SAYS IT IS HIS "DREAM" FOR ASTON VILLA TO GO INTO
THEIR FINAL MATCH OF THE SEASON WITH A CHANCE OF
QUALIFYING FOR EUROPE AFTER VICTORY OVER TOTTENHAM
CONTINUED THEIR TRANSFORMATION FROM RELEGATION
STRUGGLERS TO CONTINENTAL CONTENDERS.
VILLA CLIMBED TO SEVENTH AFTER DEFEATING TOTTENHAM, THEIR
SIXTH CONSECUTIVE HOME LEAGUE WIN WHICH MOVED THEM
LEVEL ON 57 POINTS WITH THEIR SIXTH-PLACED OPPONENTS.
ASTON VILLA WERE 19TH IN THE TABLE AFTER LOSING FOUR OF
THEIR FIRST FIVE PREMIER LEAGUE GAMES OF THE SEASON.
WITH TWO MATCHES LEFT - AT LIVERPOOL ON 20 MAY AND AT HOME
TO BRIGHTON ON THE FINAL DAY EIGHT DAYS LATER - THEY HAVE A
CHANCE OF QUALIFYING FOR EUROPE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE ASTON VILLA TRAILED TOTTENHAM BY 14 POINTS IN THE PREMIER
THE 2010-11 SEASON.
"IF WE CAN PLAY HERE AGAINST BRIGHTON [ON THE FINAL DAY OF LEAGUE TABLE AS RECENTLY AS 11 MARCH, BUT THEIR REVIVAL
THE SEASON] WITH THE OPPORTUNITY OF GETTING INTO EUROPE, IT
IS MY DREAM," SAID EMERY.
UNDER EMERY HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF REMARKABLE.
"WE CAN BE HAPPY AND EXCITED ABOUT OUR POSITION." THEIR 14TH WIN IN 23 PREMIER LEAGUE GAMES UNDER EMERY WAS
BRIGHTON, IN EIGHTH SPOT, ARE TWO POINTS BEHIND VILLA WITH THOROUGHLY DESERVED, ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT UNTIL LUIZ'S
THREE GAMES IN HAND. LOVELY 72ND-MINUTE FINISH FROM A FREE-KICK THAT VILLA
BUT VILLA HAVE MADE IMPRESSIVE PROGRESS UNDER EMERY, WHO COULD RELAX.
SAID HE DID NOT THINK EUROPE WAS ACHIEVABLE WHEN HE
OFFICIALLY TOOK CHARGE ON 1 NOVEMBER, WHEN VILLA WERE ONE VILLA HAVE NOT PLAYED IN EUROPE SINCE GOING OUT OF THE
POINT ABOVE THE RELEGATION ZONE AFTER STEVEN GERRARD WAS EUROPA LEAGUE PLAY-OFF ROUND TO RAPID VIENNA IN 2010.
SACKED.
"NO, IT WAS A PROCESS, BUT I TOLD THE PLAYERS IF WE CAN HAVE
UNDER EMERY, THEY HAVE GIVEN THEMSELVES A GREAT CHANCE
CHANCES TO GO THERE WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO GET IT," ADDED OF RETURNING TO THE CONTINENT AFTER ANOTHER ASSURED
THE FORMER ARSENAL BOSS. "IF WE DIDN'T GET IT, IT'S NOT A FAIL. PERFORMANCE IN FRONT OF THEIR OWN FANS.
IT'S A PROCESS." MARTINEZ PRODUCED A FINE SAVE TO DENY KANE A SECOND-HALF
VILLA TOOK CONTROL AGAINST TOTTENHAM THROUGH JACOB EQUALISER BEFORE HE WAS BEATEN BY THE TOTTENHAM CAPTAIN
RAMSEY'S TIDY EIGHTH-MINUTE FINISH WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY
DOUGLAS LUIZ'S FREE-KICK. FROM THE SPOT.
SPURS, WHO CAN NO LONGER FINISH IN A CHAMPIONS LEAGUE EVEN THAT, HOWEVER, FAILED TO DAMPEN THE FULL-TIME
PLACE, WERE FLAT AND UNINSPIRING, ALTHOUGH HARRY KANE DID CELEBRATIONS AS VILLA TOOK A HUGE STRIDE TOWARDS
SCORE A CONSOLATION FROM THE PENALTY SPOT AFTER HE WAS
FOULED BY GOALKEEPER EMILIANO MARTINEZ. QUALIFYING FOR EUROPE.
TOTTENHAM FAILED TO REGISTER A SINGLE ATTEMPT ON GOAL IN "WE WANT TO CONNECT WITH OUR SUPPORTERS, GET THE ENERGY
THE FIRST HALF AS VILLA COMPLETED THE DOUBLE OVER THEIR
OPPONENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE 1995-96 SEASON.
AND GIVE THEM OUR ENERGY, AND THIS IS THE SIXTH WIN IN A ROW
HERE," SAID EMERY.
2ND SPOT
Aston Villa came from 3-0 BUT THERE WAS NO
down with eight minutes ARGUMENT ABOUT HIS
left to draw with HEADED THIRD - AND
Sheffield United as the THAT LOOKED SET TO
Blades blew their chance EDGE THE BLADES TOP
to go top of the BEFORE THE REST OF THE
Championship table. WEEKEND'S FIXTURES.
HOWEVER, ON A GROUND
Billy Sharp had hit a THAT HAS NOW
classic goal-poacher's WITNESSED 67 GOALS IN
hat-trick to put the JUST 16 HOME
visitors in command and CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
they looked set to THIS SEASON, AND
leapfrog Norwich City SEEMINGLY NO END OF
and Leeds United to move DRAMATIC NIGHTS,
top on goal difference. VILLA HAD A
SENSATIONAL STING IN
But Tyrone Mings and THE TAIL.
Tammy Abraham scored MINGS SPARKED THE
twice in four minutes COMEBACK WHEN HE
before substitute Andre MARKED HIS HOME
Green headed an injury- DEBUT BY PULLING THE
time third. FIRST ONE BACK ON 82
MINUTES, BEFORE
Sharp won his personal ABRAHAM SCORED FOR
duel with Abraham, the THE EIGHTH SUCCESSIVE
pair both having begun HOME GAME, THE
the night on 19 SECOND OF TWO GOALS
Championship goals. But IN FOUR MINUTES.
that was scant IT WAS ABRAHAM'S 13TH
consolation for the loss STRIKE IN THE CLUB'S
of two dropped points on LAST EIGHT HOME
a night when they had GAMES, MAKING THE ON-
outplayed their hosts. LOAN CHELSEA STRIKER
THE FIRST VILLA PLAYER
Captain Sharp ended it TO HIT 20 LEAGUE GOALS
on 22, after scoring twice IN A CAMPAIGN SINCE
in nine minutes early in PETER WITHE DID SO IN
the second half to add to THEIR TITLE-WINNING
his 11th-minute opener - SEASON OF 1980-81.
although both the first AND THEN, IN THE
two had a whiff of FOURTH MINUTE OF
controversy about them. INJURY TIME, THE
BLADES BUCKLED UNDER
His opening goal was THE PRESSURE AND
given by the all-seeing GREEN LATCHED ON TO
eye of technology, having JOHN MCGINN'S
only just crossed the FLOATED RIGHT-WING
line. And Villa also had CROSS TO HEAD HOME -
cause to moan about his BY WHICH TIME MANY OF
second, claiming that THE VILLA FANS HAD
goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic ALREADY LEFT THE
had been fouled. GROUND.