Unai Emery must axe Aston Villa dud, Ollie Watkins now Premier League’s No.1 – Three things learned v Burnley
Aston Villa returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a battling 3-2 victory over a struggling Burnley side at Villa Park on Saturday (30 December).
The Villans were held 1-1 by bottom side Sheffield United last time out on home soil, before squandering a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at Manchester United.
Unai Emery’s side just about responded against Burnley thanks to Douglas Luiz’s 89th-minute penalty to settle a thrilling contest in the West Midlands.
Goals from Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby had earlier been cancelled out by Zeki Amdouni and Lyle Foster respectively, before Sander Berge was sent off.
Luiz’s spot-kick winner lifts Villa into second place in the Premier League and level on points with leaders Liverpool, who play their game in hand against Newcastle United on Monday (1 January).
Here are three things we at Villa News learned from the late victory.
Ramsey struggles
Clement Lenglet was substituted off in the second half in a damning appraisal from Emery, but Jacob Ramsey is another who struggled and was somewhat fortunate to last the distance.
The 22-year-old appeared to be lacking sharpness, despite this being the fourth game in a row that he has started.
Ramsey had two shots, neither of which found the target, while he was successful with only two of his four dribbles (50 per cent) [Sofascore].
Emery will surely have also be concerned by the number of Ramsey’s passes that went astray, the midfielder registering a passing accuracy of just 77.3% – the third-worst return of any Villa starter [WhoScored].
When you look at the other midfield options available to Emery, it may well be that Ramsey is given a breather for the trip to Everton on Villa’s return to Premier League action.
All-rounder
In a game in which Villa scored three times, it was hugely surprising that Ollie Watkins was not among the goals. However, the striker made his presence felt with the assists for Bailey and Diaby in the first half.
That assist for Diaby was the eighth that Watkins has registered in the Premier League this season, with that now the most of any player in the division.
Watkins has a combined 17 goals and assists for the season, which only Mohamed Salah (19) and Erling Haaland (18) can better [FBref].
Even when Watkins is not on the scoresheet, he is still making a difference for Villa. And given those two previous names mentioned, he really is in elite company right now.
Home comforts
This was Aston Villa’s final game of a year to remember, and a good opportunity to thank those in attendance for their support over the past 12 months.
While Sheffield United pulled off a shock result last time out at Villa Park, Emery’s men ensured there was no repeat as they claimed a 17th home Premier League win of 2023.
No other team in the English top flight can match that, while no team – not Liverpool, Arsenal nor Manchester City – boast more than the 53 home points Villa have accrued this year.
Since the start of March, Villa’s league record on home soil now reads: Played 17, won 16, drawn one, lost none. Say it quietly, but that is title-winning form.
In other Aston Villa news, a pundit was left surprised by what he saw a player do in last week’s defeat to Man United.