Victor Lindelof sends message to Unai Emery amid remarkable reveal in Aston Villa draw
Aston Villa had to settle for a point in their 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Wednesday.
Both sides had chances to win the match, with Ollie Watkins hitting the post for the Villans in the second half.
Villa defended resolutely, with Lucas Digne making a fantastic block to deny Justin Devenny, while goalkeeper Marco Bizot, who came on for the injured Emi Martinez, denied Tyrick Mitchell during a goalmouth scramble.
Victor Lindelof has been excellent for Aston Villa, and he started his seventh successive game as Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings remain sidelined with injuries.
His passing was absolutely superb against the Eagles, and Unai Emery will be wondering if either Torres or Mings could replicate what he did in possession.
Victor Lindelof achieves Premier League feat that hasn’t been bettered since 2022
The 31-year-old centre-back was initially fourth in the pecking order, but he is showcasing exactly why Emery decided to bring him in on a free transfer at the start of the campaign.
Lindelof was solid in defence and in possession, completing all 85 of his passes for Aston Villa against Crystal Palace.
That is the best 100 per cent passing accuracy figure by a player in a Premier League game since Aymeric Laporte did so for Manchester City against Everton on 26 February 2022 (110).
| Crystal Palace | Stat | Aston Villa |
| 41% | Possession | 59% |
| 11 | Shots | 15 |
| 1.50 | Expected goals | 1.74 |
| 47% | Ground duels won | 53% |
| 52% | Aerial duels won | 48% |
| 80% | Pass accuracy | 88% |
According to FotMob, Lindelof made five clearances and had 95 touches of the ball, while he looked steady alongside Ezri Konsa.
The Sweden international spent eight years at Man United, where he was often criticised for his strength in duels and his intensity when defending.
However, Lindelof has proved to Emery why he should in the team every week and the Spaniard will surely be considering whether to start Torres over him in the future.
Villa remain third in the league table, and Konsa must be given credit for how he has organised the defence all season.
Ezri Konsa’s influence is rubbing off on Lindelof
The 28-year-old has become one of the best centre-backs in the top flight under Emery.
Konsa has a pass accuracy of 95 per cent in the Premier League this season, the most of any player in the division.
He has looked assured when playing out from the back, and barring a mistake in Villa’s 3-2 win over West Ham on 14 December, he has been exceptional.
Following his emergence at Villa, Konsa broke into the England team in 2024, and Thomas Tuchel has been hugely impressed with how he’s playing.
Konsa has realistic aspirations of winning silverware for both club and country, and his leadership qualities are being transmitted to Lindelof and other members of Villa’s squad.
Stay up to date this winter with our Aston Villa transfer tracker. Click to see every done deal at Villa Park, plus expert reaction from our team of writers.