Aston Villa miss out on chance to go top as Sheffield United frustrate

Aston Villa’s outstanding sequence of home victories in the Premier League has finally been broken, after 16 matches, and with it the chance to top the table disappeared in the Birmingham night. After such an excruciating experience, however, this felt like a positive outcome as they avoided a first league defeat at Villa Park since February following an utterly absorbing finale.

Poor Unai Emery appeared uncomfortable throughout, in an encounter dominated by Var decisions and when Sheffield United’s Cameron Archer – a former Villa forward – pounced with three minutes left the shock result of the season so far appeared likely.

Yet in the seventh minute of added time, Villa substitute Nicolo Zaniolo struck the equaliser to spark scenes of wild celebration and, undoubtedly, relief. Villa would have topped the table for the first time since August 2011 with a victory, but fans of a certain vintage will have seen this result coming a mile off.

Everything about the two clubs’ records before kick-off suggested a comfortable home win, but Emery endured an agonising evening. Leon Bailey’s second-half goal was ruled out after referee Anthony Taylor reviewed the incident on his monitor, with Jacob Ramsey deemed to have fouled United goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.

United also survived four penalty decisions after Var checks, to irritate the home supporters waiting for a 16th successive home win. Emery said: “It was not the correct decision [the disallowed goal] but I always accept the Var. “I think today Var was too much.

Not necessary to review as much as they reviewed. And for the goal it was a second action. We recovered the ball and then we score. It was not necessary to review this. “We have been on a run and we know things can change and today it did, but I am very happy with the players.” This was only Chris Wilder’s fourth game since returning to United, and his players deserved a point on the basis of dogged determination and sticking to the plan.

He set up with a defensive back five and flooded midfield in an attempt to stifle Villa, and it worked for long periods. Archer displayed his predatory instincts with the 87th-minute goal and it is clear to see why Villa insisted on a buy-back clause when they sold him this summer for £18  million.

United’s point moved them off the bottom of the table, and there was much encouragement for Wilder to take. “Every time we play at Villa it’s an interesting night, and it was again to put it mildly,” he said. “It was littered with it [Var] from the off with penalties and disallowed goals. I’m a traditionalist, I’m here for the hand of god, that’s it.

It gets taken away from referees once they get to the top.” “There were about a thousand Var calls tonight. Smash and grab and we go 1-0 and you feel like it’s going to be your night.” Villa will have to contend with opponents setting up like this for the remainder of the season, and that is the latest test for Emery.

It is Villa’s astonishing home form that has established the foundations of their progress, with 15 consecutive wins in the league at Villa Park before last night. Backed by a boisterous home crowd, Villa were on the front foot from the start but it became clear early on that it was going to be difficult.

Ollie Watkins appeared to be pushed over in the penalty area by Vinicius Souza but United escaped after a Var review. Seconds later, there was another Var check for an alleged handball by George Baldock and, again, United avoided punishment. It was evoking memories of the “ghost goal” of 2020, when the season restarted after the first Covid-19 lockdown and United were denied a goal after the Hawk-Eye technology failed to spot the ball had crossed the line.

Villa would go on to avoid relegation on the final day, by a single point. The home team had further chances, with Foderingham saving from Moussa Diaby before Ezri Konsa headed over from four yards out. Frustration was starting to build as Villa struggled to break down resolute opponents, despite dominating possession.

Emery was wheeling around in celebration 13 minutes into the second half, as Villa’s relentless pressure paid off with what they thought was the opening goal. It was a mistake from Baldock, giving away the ball as he attempted to exit the penalty area, and the ball was played into Bailey at the far post who swept home.

A foul by Ramsey on Foderingham was spotted, and the goal was ruled out. It only served to further galvanise the home supporters, but United became stronger.

Oliver Norwood produced their first shot on target 12 minutes from time and then Konsa deflected Max Lowe’s cross inches past his own post. The goal came three minutes from time, and it was inevitably going to be Archer, who displayed his predatory instincts to put away Gus Hamer’s cross. United had relative control but they were finally broken when Zaniolo headed into an empty net to save a point.