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John Townley's Aston Villa player ratings after bizarre Tyrone Mings mistake in Club Brugge defeat

Hans Vanaken scored the only goal of the game
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


Aston Villa suffered their first Champions League defeat after losing 1-0 to Club Brugge in bizarre circumstances.

Brugge captain Hans Vanaken scored a penalty in the second half after Tyrone Mings picked the ball up inside the box after Emi Martinez took his goal kick. The centre-back was unaware that his goalkeeper had already taken the kick before moving it back into the six yard box.

Mings was already on a yellow card after being booked in the first period, but wasn’t sent off for picking the ball up by mistake. He was one of five changes Emery made to the side which lost 4-1 to Tottenham last time out, as Diego Carlos, Ian Maatsen, Boubacar Kamara and Leon Bailey also came into the starting XI.

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After Ollie Watkins narrowly missed the target in the first half from a strike on the edge of the box, Brugge missed the best chance of the first period as Martinez made a brilliant save to deny Ferran Jugtla inside the box.

The Villa ‘keeper pushed his strike off the post, before bouncing back up top deny Christos Tzolis. The hosts ended the first half the better of the two sides and managed to stifle Villa until being gifted a chance to take the lead in the 52nd minute.

Referee Tobias Stieler stopped the game after Mings picked the ball up in the box when it was in play and then awarded a spot-kick. Vanaken went down the middle to beat Martinez.

Villa return to Premier League duties on Saturday when they face Liverpool at Anfield (8pm kick-off).

Player ratings

Emi Martinez

Martinez made an outstanding save to deny Jutgla from close range, before he got back up to deny Tzolis’ strike from the edge of the box. He collected crosses and relieved pressure from his defence. 6

Ezri Konsa

Konsa played from right-back tonight. He was safe in possession registered a passing accuracy of 90 per cent once again. He also won three ground duels and all three of the aerial duels he contested. 6

Diego Carlos

Carlos complimented Mings well but picked up a silly booking after complaining that his centre-back partner had received a booking for challenging for an aerial duel using his elbow. 6

Tyrone Mings

Unfortunately, Mings’ first Champions League appearance will be remembered for the mistake he made when he picked the ball up thinking Martinez hadn’t yet taken a goal kick. He was enjoying a decent performance until that lapse of concentration, which ultimately cost Villa. It was an honest mistake, one which Arsenal weren't even punished for against Bayern Munich in April. 5

Ian Maatsen

Maatsen came back into the team to make successive Champions League starts. He got forward at every opportunity and defended well, but his final product was lacking more often that not. 6

Boubacar Kamara

It was another encouraging performance from Kamara in the middle of the pitch considering the nature of the injury he has just returned from. He used the ball well and wanted to play progressively. The Frenchman picked McGinn out in the first half with an excellent cross, but the captain headed over. 7

Youri Tielemans

The Belgian was booed every time he touched the ball because of his previous connection with Brugge's rivals Anderlecht. He impressed in the first half, but his final ball was then missing in the second period, especially from dead balls. 6

Leon Bailey

Bailey has struggled to find his rhythm so far this season, but brings pace and width to Villa’s attack, which they lacked in the defeat at Spurs. Bailey threatened to produce, but failed to deliver at the key moments. 5

John McGinn

The skipper operated in a more central role in the first half, slightly to the right of Watkins, while Bailey hugged the wing. He then moved towards the left in the second period, but Villa were lacking impetus and struggled to get the ball from back to front efficiently, meaning McGinn’s impact faded. 6

Morgan Rogers

With McGinn closer to Watkins, Rogers started on the left, which is the role he played in last season. The 22-year-old was hoping to net for a fourth away match in a row, having struck in the Premier League at Ipswich, Fulham and opened the scoring in Sunday's defeat at Tottenham. He had a quiet game. 5

Ollie Watkins

Watkins had an early chance to make use of space on a counter-attack, but was well defended by centre-back Joel Ordonez. He then flashed an effort wide of the post in the 21st minute, but struggled to get in the match after then. 5

SUBS

Jhon Duran (McGinn, 58’): The Colombian striker wasn't able to make much of an impact. He didn't get a sight of goal. 5

Jacob Ramsey (for Rogers, 58’): Ramsey picked up the position which McGinn played in the second half, out on the left. He kept possession moving nicely in the 30 minutes he had, but didn't create the chance Villa needed to get back on level terms 5

Pau Torres (for Mings, 58’): Torres helped Villa sustain more pressure in the final third late on. 6

Emi Buendia (for Watkins, 80’): N/A

Kosta Nedeljkovic (for Carlos, 80’): N/A

Subs not used: Gauci, Olsen, Swinkels, Bogarde, Digne, Onana, Philogene.

GOALS

Club Brugge: Vanaken (52’)

Aston Villa: N/A

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