Alex Moreno stars, Matty Cash stinks out Gtech Community Stadium – Aston Villa player ratings v Brentford
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa secured all three points in their Premier League clash away to Brentford on Sunday (17 December).
Alex Moreno and Ollie Watkins got the goals for the visitors after Keane Lewis-Potter opened the scoring for the hosts, who had Ben Mee sent off, with Boubacar Kamara also seeing red.
Here Aston Villa News rates the Villa players out of 10 for their performances in the 2-1 win at the Gtech Community Stadium:
Emiliano Martinez – 6
The goalkeeper will be disappointed not to have kept a clean sheet, particularly given how the hosts were without dangerman Bryan Mbeumo due to injury. But Martinez did help out as best he could with two saves throughout the match [Sofascore].
Matty Cash – 4
Having not always been first choice under Emery lately, Cash was given the chance to impress from the start, but he had an afternoon to forget, with the player winning just two of his five ground duels.
Ezri Konsa – 6
The versatile defender was at his usual best in terms of keeping possession, completing 93% of his passes, but he will be disappointed with the lack of clean sheet.
Diego Carlos – 7
Carlos has impressed lately, and he was certainly kept busy at the Gtech, with the central defender making a huge 10 clearances.
Pau Torres – 6
Torres was also heavily involved in the action, with the centre-back disappointingly losing possession of the ball 14 times.
Alex Moreno – 8 (Man of the Match)
Getting a chance to start due to the suspended Lucas Digne, the left-back started the match in a lively fashion, and certainly finished it that way too with his equaliser, with Moreno also completing 86% of his passes and making four clearances.
Boubacar Kamara – 7
Another composed display from the talented midfielder. Kamara impressed in the centre of the pitch, with the player winning two of his three aerial duels. He did, however, let himself down late on with his red card.
John McGinn – 6
The Scotland ace was as lively as ever, with McGinn making two tackles as he looked to be the ignition for attacks for the visitors.
Jacob Ramsey – 7
The young midfielder was a rare bright spark for Aston Villa on his first Premier League start of the season. Ramsey completed 84% of his passes, three of which were key.
Moussa Diaby – 5
A very quiet afternoon for the winger’s standards, with Diaby winning just two of his six duels before being replaced by Jhon Duran just after the hour mark.
Ollie Watkins – 7
Watkins was starved of the ball for large periods of the match at the Gtech, with the striker touching the ball just 35 times against his former club, but he did, of course, have the all-important touch in the closing minutes.
Substitutes
Jhon Duran (on for Diaby, 65′)
Leon Bailey (on for Cash, 65′)
Nicolo Zaniolo (on for Torres, 81′)
Leander Dendoncker (on for Ramsey, 90′)
In other Aston Villa news, one 17 G/A Villa star has been “unleashed” under Emery, he must be kept at Villa Park at all costs amid Premier League interest.