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Browsing: Villa
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65 minA double-change for Fulham, Smith-Rowe and Kevin replacing Iwobi and King.
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64 minBuendia has made a difference since coming on and he lashes a shot from the edge which flies over the bar.
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63 minFulham have barely participated in this half so far, and Villa look more likely to score a clincher than they do a livener.
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61 min“How can the Chelsea one be given a penalty a few weeks ago and the Fulham one today not given?†wonders Michael Brown. “If anything the Fulham one today, was even more of a penalty as the shot was going on target. The Chelsea one was a cross with no obvious goal-scoring opportunity. They change the rules every week. They are ruining the game.â€
IMG 9172 Photograph: Michael Brown
I domâ€t think the Cash one is a penalty – he slides in, his arm necessarily flies out, and heâ€s looking the other way. I do find that Iâ€ve no longer a clue what many decisions will be – how, for example, was Nathan Collins not sent off for Brentford yesterday – but on the other hand, I think we can demand consistency within games but not across games, as refs are given leeway to interpret as they see fit, and VAR should only get involved if thereâ€s an obvious error.
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60 minCastagne slides in on Digne, studs up, catches him a right sair yin on the ankle, and somehow avoids a booking.
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Updated at 10.25 EDT
57 min“He hardly ever scores, heâ€s 32 but his passing and crossing, at least since heâ€s been at Villa, has been without equal, says Tony Hughes of Lucas Digne. “Heâ€s seen off Matt Targett, who I believe was Villaâ€s POTY, then Emery brought in Alex Moreno, and Digne kept his spot. Then Villa spent a huge amount on Ian Maatsen yet Digne – who took a pay cut to remains at Villa – is still there. Heâ€s a survivor.â€
Itâ€s so rare to find natural width down the left; he brings balance to any team heâ€s in, and I bet Emery loves him.
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55 minBassey is booked for a foul. Fulham are falling apart here.
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53 minAndersen has had better games. He loses out to Watkins down the left then, when Watkins falls, there are penalty shouts, but I think he tripped himself. Meantime, Fulham counter, Martinez clears straight into Traore, Lukic slides towards the empty net … and Konsa does brilliantly to clear off the line running towards his own box. This is suddenly absolutely wild; more please!
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Updated at 10.21 EDT
GOAL! Aston Villa 3-1 Fulham (Buendia 52)
Two goals in two minutes and has Villaâ€s season started? They get at Fulham down the left, Buendia involved early in the move then hitting the box, as yet another ball in behind finds Watkins, who crosses low, and Buendia stabs into the net. What a chance from Unai Emery!
Emiliano Buendia of Aston Villa celebrates scoring his team’s third goal. Photograph: Dan Mullan/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 10.21 EDT
GOAL! Aston Villa 2-1 Fulham (McGinn 50)
Another day, another jazzer of a captainâ€s goal! Traore, back to goal, is forced towards his own by remorseless pressing, then Bogarde pinches the ball off him and finds Buendia, who moves on one to McGinn. And the skipper takes a touch then, from the edge, cuts across a low left-footer that swerves out and into the near-post side-netting.
John McGinn of Aston Villa scores a goal to make it 2-1. Photograph: Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 10.20 EDT
48 minRogers carries forward and, of course, Watkins attacks the last line, but the pass has too much on it.
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47 minElliott just wasnâ€t able to get going; I wonder if he might do better with space in front of him, so i the pivot alongside McGinn, rather than in behind Watkins.
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46 minWe go again; Villa have Buendia ready to come on and he replaces Elliott.
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Updated at 10.11 EDT
Things that would not be missed: that thing that Sky do, when they have a break, then come back to tell you what youâ€re watching, before going to another break. I guess it spares us more Jamie Redknapp, so thereâ€s that.
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Half-time entertainment:
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HALF-TIME: Aston Villa 1-1 Fulham
Fulham started really well with King outstanding, but Villa equalised out of nothing and were the better team thereafter.
Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins watches as the ball goes into the net. Photograph: Nick Potts/PAShare
Updated at 10.07 EDT
45+8 minDigne curls over the wall but without requisite power, Leno plunging right to make a comfortable save.
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45+7 minA poor touch from Berge is seized upon by Bogarde, who finds Rogers; a poor touch allows Leno to clear but Guessand quickly picks up possession, buys a foul off Lukic, and Villa have a free-kick 25 yards out, right of the D. Digne will take…
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45+6 minEventually, Lukic swings it out, Villa clear, and Sessegnonâ€s ball back in dribbles through to Martinez.
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45+5 minBerge bursts away from McGinn, who pulls him down and is booked; almost immediately, Fulham win a corner, Wilson and Lukic behind it.
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45+4 minWhy do sky now display time as 48.34, say, rather than 45+3.34?
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45+3 minIwobi coaxes a decent ball over the top and into the middle for the marauding Lukic, whose first touch is poor, taking him wide. But he recomposes, squaring for Wilson, who canâ€t quite dig the ball out from under his feet, poking a shot wide.
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45+1 minSilva, on a rolling boil now, is booked for mouth after complaining about a booking handed to Wilson for a foul.
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45 minWeâ€ll have eight additional minutes, most of them for the treatment Jimenez took prior to departing injured.
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44 minVilla like that ball over the top and McGinn clips a beauty seeking Rogers, running in behind, but he canâ€t quite take it down as it drops over his shoulder. Still, though, this is much better from the home side; Fulham could do with half-time.
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42 minMarco Silva will be seething – a phrase I might stick on my clipboard – at the penalties his side didnâ€t get. For what itâ€s worth, I donâ€t think either satisfied what should be a high bar for an 80% chance of a goal, though the handball in particular is one weâ€ve seen given.
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41 minVilla needed that goal badly – theyâ€ve been third-best in this game so far. Now they have it, though, the onus is on them to push the pace, and thatâ€s what theyâ€re trying to do, Fulham pinned back for the first time.
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39 minVAR wants to see if Watkins was offside … and he wasnâ€t!
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GOAL! Aston Villa 1-1 Fulham (Watkins 38)
RELEASE! Digne clips a good long pass over the top, Watkins running in behind and away from Bassey. But really, the ball shouldnâ€t get anywhere near him because Andersen os underneath it, somehow clearing fresh air so, as Leno comes out, Watkins loops a terrific finish over him, ending the drought! Villa are level!
Bonza: Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins celebrates scoring their first goal. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images/ReutersShare
Updated at 09.46 EDT
36 minWe see a graphic telling us that Watkins has touched the ball twice in 35 minutes; the same as Jimenez, whoâ€s been off for half an hour. As Chris Sutton notes, his penalty in midweek was that of a man bereft of confidence, so he ought to have whacked it with his laces – likewise Bruno Fernandes yesterday, given how long he had to wait before taking it and how goods Caiomhin Kelleher is at saving them.
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35 minBut Villa pick up the loose ball, pump it into the box again, and when another clearance drops to the edge, Cash leathers way over the top.
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34 minRogers is starting to assert himself, holding off then running away from Lukic, who introduces him to grass and is booked. Free-kick Villa, 30 yards out, almost in line with the corner of the box; McGinn will swing in … and Wilson will head away.
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32 minPau Torres replaces Mings, so Villa lose a bit of physicality but now have a better passer to help them build the play.
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31 minThe first flash of Rogers, who wriggles past a challenge on halfway and finds Elliott, dashing into position for a return … but the ball goes backwards. Villa need to take more risks in possession because currently, Fulham are keeping them out of the box pretty easily.
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30 minJimenez has sustained an adductor injury, weâ€re told, and another with knack is Mings; on the touchline, Pau Torres is getting stripped.
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28 min“In the interests of balance,†begins Paul Oakes, “Iâ€m expecting a detailed review of the expensive bit of Villa Parkâ€s catering offer, as todayâ€s Grace Dent review is a restaurant inside Craven Cottage, and not on a match day! Features a really weird attempted deception as well.â€
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26 minLooking again at the King booking, he goes to ground before Martinezâ€s challenge comes; if heâ€d stayed up, heâ€d have been cleaned out, and that wouldâ€ve been a penalty.
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24 minKing is an absolute menace, twinkling in off the right, skipping across McGinn and shooting; Cash, spreading his body to block, wears the shot on his hand. Naturally Fulham want a penalty, but the ref turns them down … and so does VAR, I guess because the defender wasnâ€t looking at where the ball came from, so couldnâ€t do much to get out of the way. Itâ€s a marginal one.
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23 minLovely from Fulham, Castagne and Wilson combining nicely to release Traore, who moves on to King; he drives towards into the box, goes down as Martinez comes out, and is booked for diving. I canâ€t argue with that, though Iâ€m sure heâ€d run the anticipating contact defence.
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22 min“Points of pedantry,†begins Benjamin Gravestock, “but VPâ€s camera viewpoint is in the Doug Ellis Stand not the Trinity Road one…
Canâ€t really blame you – I once was involved in considering the club as a venue for a corporate event, and was startled to see VP was mirrored in their own brochure, with all the stands in the wrong place…!
Other Villa thoughts: our issues with wing-back systems really haunted us with Crystal Palace and Manchester United at the end of last season, and I think Rashford being shoehorned in unbalanced the side slightly. Morgan Rogers†club decline started after being pushed into the wider forward role by the presence of Asensio, too. Asensio created and scored enough that it didnâ€t really matter, but Rogers†seems to still be struggling to adapt either to being wide or being back in the middle.
I still think this squad is good. The summer was frustrating, but if we can just keep going I think itâ€ll come back to us eventually. Personally Iâ€m not among the bubbling Emery-doubters – this is certainly the best squad Iâ€ve seen in my 30 years of following, and whilst no one can argue theyâ€re playing well, I have faith!â€
Thatâ€s odd – I checked, and Google told me the dugouts, opposite our view, are in the Doug. On Rashford, I totally didnâ€t buy the line we were fed that he was good at Villa, he wasnâ€t – and I donâ€t think the players were impressed with or by him either – and agree thereâ€s a good side in there.
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19 minFulhamâ€s attackers run the channels really well, and the balls down the line to bring them into play are hit really accurately. One finds Traore, who canâ€t make anything of it, but the tactic is giving them plenty of joy, and I see no reason why that wonâ€t continue given how high Villa defend.
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Updated at 09.21 EDT
18 minA poor touch from Bassey, followed by a poor, panicked pass, allows McGinn to steal the ball on the edge of the box, and heâ€s in! But opening his body, his curler wafts wide, and thatâ€s a really good chance spurned.
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16 minMcGinn delivers left-footed – why arenâ€t more players able to take with both feet? – and Elliott peels away to the back post, clearly a planned move, then lashes back across, so Sessegnon blocks behind. The second corner comes to nowt.
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15 minWeâ€ve barely seen Villa as an attacking force. So far, the game is going exactly as Fulham want it – though, as I type, Guessand wins a corner down the right.
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A free-kick is curled into the Genk box, Soutta rheads across goal towards the side-netting … and Heynen hooks clear from under his own bar! That is fantastic defending.
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GOAL! Ferencvaros 0-1 Viktoria Plzen (Durosimni 16)
A goal in Budapest.
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GOAL! Young Boys 0-2 Panathaniakos (Zaroury 13)
Big trouble for the Swiss.
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GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Bologna (McGinn 13)
Villa Park has its first goal of the season! The corner goes short and when the cross comes in, Rogers, unmarked should score. But he leathers fresh air then, when the ball is half-cleared to Mcginn on the edge, he gets his knee right over the ball and drives down on it, sending a skidding shot hard, straight and true, just inside the near post.
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Buendia hares through the middle and finds Rogers;his outside-of-the-boot is humped behind.
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Back at Ibrox,Mikey Moore – another Iâ€m looking forward to watching tonight – has swept a shot over the top from the edge.
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GOAL! Young Boys 0-1 Panathanaikos (Swiderski 10)
An early goal in Bern and itâ€s for the visitors.
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Itâ€s amazing how much Robbie Savageâ€s commentary has improved since he started coaching, you can tell heâ€s proper obsessed. Heâ€s just explained how Bologna are “locking on in the press†having previously noted that Villa are almost playing a 4-2-2-2; “as you know, I love formations,†he adds. Itâ€s a great development.
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Villa Park hasnâ€t seen a goal yet this season, but Gassama gets away at inside-right, hangs on a little bit too long, and his shot from a tighter angle than is necessary, is saved.
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But here come Genk again, El Ouahdi sliding in at the far post to send a finish over the top.
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In comms, Robbie Savage says Villa Park is one of his favourite grounds and I agree, itâ€s one of mine, too; the Holte, when full, is one of the great ends and sights in English football. On which point, Ibrox is also a beautiful piece of work and, as I say every time it comes up, by far the noisiest ground Iâ€ve been to, and Iâ€ve been to a few. But Ranger are in trouble, Meghoma stepping up and allowing El Ouahdi in behind, but the shot that follows his cut-back is blocked by Tavernier.
Rangers’ Aasgaard in action with Genk’s Bangoura. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images/ReutersShare
Updated at 15.10 EDT
And off we go!
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Our teams come out at both Villa Park and Ibrox Stadium.
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Hereâ€s a Rangers in Europe story. Be very aware, itâ€s an absolute banger.
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Martin explains that Chermiti is playing to add freshness and also that he “suits the game tonightâ€. The team are prepared but need to make it their kind of game and if they repeat Saturdayâ€s performance, he believes they can win.
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Updated at 14.59 EDT
Final scores:Go Ahead Eagles 0-1 Steaua; Lille 2-1 Brann.
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Iâ€m intrigued to see how much dissent there is at Ibrox. Itâ€s rare a manager turns around the kind of situation Russell Martin is experiencing, but as long as heâ€s got a job, heâ€s got hope. Heâ€ll need a result tonight, youâ€d think.
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Is Martin Keown superimposed?
Photograph: TNTShare
As for Bologna, Iâ€m keen to see how Lewis Ferguson gets on. He captained them to their Coppa Italia win, and will want to make an impression tonight.
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I also really like Boubacar Kamara who, if he can stay fit, has lots of the right stuff. I donâ€t think thereâ€s too much wrong at Villa, theyâ€ve just forgotten how to score which has knocked their confidence. For that reason, Iâ€m a little surprised Ollie Watkins has been dropped, because they badly need him firing – and donâ€t forget he also creates – but Iâ€m sure Emery has his reasons.
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Still missing for Villa:Amadou Onana, Ross Barkley and Youri Tielemans.
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Iâ€m looking forward to seeing how Morgan Rogers does tonight,for no reason other than I love watching him play. I really enjoy his physicality and imagination, and he looks the most likely difference between the sides.
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Emery tells TNT that Martinez is injured, then explains that this is a good opportunity for Malen. Otherwise, he says Villa have been good at home, but European games are always difficult. Itâ€s their dream to play in Europe, but theyâ€ll have to do well to get a result.
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Updated at 14.40 EDT
I wonder if Emery spoke harshly about his players because he thinks they should win tonight; if he does it and they donâ€t, what else can he then say? I think theyâ€ll have too much in midfield for Bologna, and if they can just get that first win, theyâ€ve got more than enough to have a decent season.
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So what of Genk? Well theyâ€re third-bottom of the league and managed by Thorsten Fink, most famous for the clearance that led to this:
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As for Rangers, they make one change following weekend victory over Hibs: Chermiti, making his full debut, replaces Miovski.
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Bologna have a player called Heggem, more than enough excuse to remember this forgotten banger, scored for Liverpool by his namesake on Boxing Day 1998.
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Back to our teams,Emery leaves out Martinez, Mings, Digne and Watkins; in come Bizot, Pau Torres, Maatsen and Malen.
Bologna, meanwhile, 11th in Serie A after beating Genoa 2-1 at the weekend, replace De Silvestri, Heggem, Miranda, Moro, Dominguez, and Orsolini with Zoertea, Lucumi, Lykogiannis, Ferguson, Odgaard and Cambiaghi.
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Email!“I know that itâ€s a well-worn old chuckler, but hey ho,†begins Charles Antaki. “It still raises a smile when you see Go Ahead Eagles go behind.â€
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Teams!
Aston Villa (4-4-2): Bizot; Cash, Konsa, Pau Torres, Maatsen; Guessand, Kamara, McGinn, Rogers; Buendia, Malen. Subs: Proctor, Oakley, Lindelöf, Mings, Elliott, Watkins, Digne, Andrès GarcÃa, Sancho, Bogarde, Burrowes.
Bologna (4-3-3):Skorupski; Zoertea, Vitik, Lucumi, Lykogiannis; Ferguson, Freuler, Odgaard; Bernadeschi, Castro, Cambiaghi. Subs:Ravaglia, Pessina, Holk, Moro, Orsolini, Rowe, Heggem, Dallinga, Miranda, Fabbian.
**
Rangers (4-3-3):Butland; Tavernier, Souttar, Cornelius, Meghoma; Diomande, Raskin; Moore; Aasgaard, Gassama, Chermiti. Subs: Kelly, Wright, Rothwell, Barron, Antman, Djiga, Miovski, Gentles, Danilo, Rice, Curtis, McCallion.
Genk (5-3-2):Van Crombrugge; El Ouhadi, Sets, Sadick, Kayembe, Medina; Hrosovsky, Bangoura, Heynen; Sreuckers; Oh. Subs:Mounganga, Ito, Karetsas, Bibout, Sattleberger, Nkuba, Mirisola, Yokoyama, Adedeji-Sternberg, Palacios, Kongolo, Erabi.
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Updated at 14.25 EDT
Latest scores:Go Ahead Eagles 0-1 Steaua Bucharest; Lille 1-0 Brann.
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Preamble
For the first time since arriving at Aston Villa in 2022, Unai Emery finds himself under pressure. At the end of last season, his players were guilty of a complete no-show in their last game, against a Manchester United side that had just lost the Europa League final, which cost them a Champions League spot, and theyâ€ve started this in similar vein, sitting third-bottom of the table and playing so badly their manager has already accused them of being lazy.
As such, todayâ€s match with Bologna – whom Villa beat 2-0 in last seasonâ€s premier competition – is more important than it seems. After receiving such public and stinging criticism, if they cannot rouse themselves to deliver a performance tonight, then what?
Life at Villa Park, though, sounds like a joy relative to goings-on at Ibrox. Though Rangers managed their first win in six against Hibs last weekend, Russell Martin is still in a pickle – one that can only be resolved with a succession of good results and performances. In the meantime, any defeat could mean the end with tonightâ€s match with Genk the latest test of his survival instinct.
Add to that a selection of other matches, and weâ€ve a decent eveningâ€s rubber-necking in prospect.
Kick-off: 8pm BST
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Members of UEFA’s executive committee are reportedly in favour of suspending Israel from UEFA competitions, including the Europa League, according to the Associated Press.
The executive committee is the main decision-making body of UEFA and responsible for the organisation’s governance. On the panel sits UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and 19 other elected members.
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Israel World Cup hopes dashed as UEFA set to vote on suspension
A majority of the 20-strong committee is expected to support any vote favouring a suspension of Israeli teams from international competition.
FIFA are unlikely to follow suit given the organisation’s close links to the administration of Donald Trump’s United States government and the 79-year-old’s vocal opposition to sporting sanctions against Israel.
Donald Trumo (L) and Gianni Infantino (R) at the FIFA Club World Cup Final (Image credit: Getty Images)
However, eight UEFA members do sit on FIFA’s ruling committee, which could ultimately decide matters if a similar issue is brought to a vote when the council meets in Zürich next week.
Calls to ban Israel from international sports including football are on the increase from those in power.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has urged UEFA to impose a similar penalty on Israel to the one handed down to Russia following their 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
It follows growing international concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as a result of Israeli military operations in the area and their fight against Hamas.
A close-up of the Europa League trophy (Image credit: Alamy)
Additionally, football executives in Italy and Norway have expressed their reservations about facing Israeli teams in competition. The two countries are scheduled to face Israel in FIFA World Cup qualifying next month.
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A UEFA ban would put an end to Israel’s hopes of qualifying for next summer’s World Cup as the team would not be able to fulfil their remaining fixtures. The country has made one prior appearance at the Finals in 1970 and currently sits third in UEFA’s Group I.
Russian teams are yet to be reinstated to FIFA and UEFA competition since their suspension.
The Times claims ‘several European clubs [have] asked UEFA if there [is] any way they could avoid playing Israeli opponents’, while Greek side PAOK Thessaloniki’s supporters staged protests ahead of their Europa League fixture with Maccabi Tel Aviv.
PAOK fans protest Maccabi Tel Aviv’s participation in the Europa League (Image credit: Getty Images)
What will happen to Aston Villa’s Europa League fixture against Maccabi Tel Aviv?
Article 29.03 of UEFA’s Europa League regulations states: “If a club is disqualified or for any reason withdraws from the competition before all its matches in the league phase have been played, the results of all its matches played until that moment remain valid.
“A calculation of points will need to take place upon completion of the league phase to take the cancelled matches into account. Any club that has not been able to play its scheduled match against a disqualified/withdrawn club is awarded the average number of points earned by all clubs in its same seeding pot against the clubs in the same pot as that disqualified/withdrawn club in home matches, if the affected club was due to play at home, or in away matches if the affected club was due to play away.
“The league phase points of all matches that have been played, including the points obtained by clubs in matches involving the disqualified/withdrawn club before their disqualification/withdrawal are not adjusted in any way, and all taken into account for the average points calculation.”
Asked if Emery had called his players lazy privately, Konsa added: “No. The boss is not a big speaker. Sometimes he keeps himself to himself.
“As players, we have been in the game a long time and we know what we need to do. It is down to us at the end of the day. We are on the pitch, not the manager. We have to figure it out for ourselves as well.”
Speaking before Bologna’s visit to Villa Park in the Europa League on Thursday, Emery said he was “angry” after the match against Sunderland.
“I was frustrated and disappointed but when I analysed it I was getting the balance,” said Emery.
“I am demanding and always trying to understand how we can feel stronger. After the match I told the players we have to be more demanding.”
The draw against Sunderland left Villa 18th in the Premier League and winless in their opening five games, out of the Carabao Cup and having scored just one league goal.
Konsa, though, says the club are not in “crisis”.
“I don’t think we are at the stage where we need to have meetings,” he said. “People will talk about crisis meetings and things like that but we have got a great captain in John McGinn, who really takes the lead in stuff like that.
“After the game, he said a few words to keep us going, to keep encouraging us. Look, we haven’t started the season well. We know that. But I’m sure it’s going to go well soon.
“It shows how far we have come over the last three years [that people have criticised Villa’s start to the season]”.
Watch all the action from Sunderland vs Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday. Here, FourFourTwo brings you all the details on how to watch the game live wherever you are in the world.
Sunderland vs Aston Villa key information
• Date:Sunday 21 September
• Kick-off time:2:00pm BST / 9:00am ET
• Venue:Stadium of Light, Sunderland
• TV & Streaming: Sky Sports (UK), Peacock (US), Stan Sport (Australia)
• Watch from anywhere:Try NordVPN risk-free
Sunderland have made an impressive return to the Premier League and backed it up once again last weekend with a 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace.
Regis Le Bris’ side are yet to lose on home soil this term, having posted wins against West Ham United and Brentford.
Unai Emery and his Villans face a very different story and are still just one of two teams, with Wolves too, yet to win a Premier League game this season.
Jadon Sancho made his debut for Villa in their EFL Cup exit against Brentford in midweek and will have to do much more in order to quickly change opinions.
Watch Sunderland vs Aston Villa in the UK
Sunderland vs Aston Villa kicks off at 2:00 pm (BST) and the game will be shown live in the UK and Ireland.
Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Premier League are your two destinations for coverage of the game, and the 2:00 pm is one of two games underway at the same time, alongside Bournemouth vs Newcastle United.
Watch Sunderland vs Aston Villa in the US
In the US, Peacock will show Sunderland vs Aston Villa.
Details on how you can sign up to the service in the United States are available down below.
How to watch Sunderland vs Aston Villa in Australia
Premier League fans in Australia can watch Sunderland vs Aston Villa through Stan Sport.
Watch Sunderland vs Aston Villa from anywhere
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Virtual Private Networks are internet security software that alter your device’s location, meaning you can bypass the geo-restrictions you get on most streaming platforms and enjoy your usual coverage no matter where you are.
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See also► Premier League TV guide
Sunderland vs Aston Villa: Premier League preview
Sunderland seem to be fitting in just fine upon their return to the Premier League, and much can be made of the start they have made.
The Black Cats have amassed 7 points from their opening 4 games and are currently 7th in the table, ahead of serial winners Manchester City.
Le Bris’s men have adapted well to the demands placed on them, and the Stadium of Light is once again expected to provide a cauldron of noise as Aston Villa arrive in the north-east on Saturday.
Dan Ballard and Luke O’Nien have been tipped to return for the hosts, and the pair would be huge boosts in terms of selection if they are fit and ready to go.
It’s been a disastrous start for Aston Villa, and for a team in the Europa League this season, sitting second bottom in the Premier League table is far from ideal.
Villa did lose two of their most influential players from the second half of last season in loanees Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio, but did bring in both Sancho and former Liverpool man Harvey Elliott.
Jacob Ramsey has been sold to help balance the PSR books, and Leon Bailey has also left on loan, which means a good chunk of Emery’s attacking options have been either sold or let go.
Ollie Watkins has also had the fewest touches of any outfield player in the side so far this term, according to Sky Sports, which doesn’t bode well for a side who are usually so heavily reliant on his form in front of goal.
See also► These are the cheapest ways to watch the Premier League this season
Sunderland vs Aston Villa: Expected line-ups
FourFourTwo’s prediction
Sunderland 0-1 Aston Villa
FourFourTwo thinks this one could be awfully tight, but with Villa’s Premier League experience, we fancy Emery to finally get a first win of the season under his belt at the Stadium of Light this weekend.
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Emery replaced Steven Gerrard in November 2022 with the club 14th in the Premier League, before taking them to the Europa Conference League semi-finals in 2024 and then the Champions League, reaching the last eight last season.
This season they have lacked the intensity and urgency which has been synonymous with the side under the Spaniard. Laborious and uninspired, it has been the opposite of what to expect under the former Sevilla, Paris St-Germain, Arsenal and Villarreal boss.
Yet Villa players still found the goal during the international break – Youri Tielemans scored twice for Belgium, Matty Cash netted for Poland, while Ezri Konsa got his first England goal in their 5-0 win in Serbia.
Villa also started the season weaker after Marco Asensio – who scored eight goals in a successful loan from PSG in the second half of last season – did not return.
The forward joined Fenerbahce earlier this month, while the club also opted not to turn Marcus Rashford’s loan from Manchester United into a permanent £40m move.
Villa sold midfielder Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle for £40m, leaving them depleted in attack until the deadline day loan arrivals of Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott.
Against the Magpies on the opening day, they had an XG from open play of 0.08 and made just 40 successful passes in the final third.
While those stats were marginally better against Everton – 0.24 and 0.75 – there clearly needs to be a stark improvement.
Villa visit Brentford in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday – having already lost 1-0 there in the league – before travelling to Sunderland on Saturday. Another two blanks would push them into a mini crisis.
Replying to a fan on social media at the weekend Vidagany asked for patience. Emery’s trusted lieutenant was right to say they had made rapid gains in the last three years but with that comes the extra expectation.
He wrote: “My humble suggestion is to ask – understanding moods are not high – to help the boys with support and memory of what they did in three amazing years. Much better years than the previous 15, 20?
“If you don’t want to give them credit, I respect it. If someone wants to push us with negativity, it is OK, you also can do it. But it is useless.
“If you want to help, as you the fans are the real owners of the Villa and protectors of the club and we know you deserve more. But let me remind you that in football there are good times and not good times. And everyone can choose one way or another. I believe in Unai and my team.”
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Aston Villa have dropped their third kit for the 2025/26 season, and itâ€s a striking tribute to the clubâ€s rich history and iconic home ground, Villa Park.
The jersey, in crisp white, features an intricate stained glass-style pattern across the front, directly inspired by the beautiful windows that have been a part of Villa Park since 1897. The design showcases a delicate mix of soft blues, pinks, and purples, capturing the luminous glow of light streaming through stained glass.
Maroon trims on the shoulders add a touch of classic Villa elegance, while the club’s iconic crest is reimagined in the same colour, seamlessly tying into the kitâ€s heritage-inspired design.
Villa’s new third kit is a beauty. / adidas
This season’s third kit also marks a significant milestone for Villa as it proudly displays the adidas Trefoil logo for the first time, signalling the beginning of a new chapter in the clubâ€s collaboration with the iconic sportswear brand.
“We are delighted to present this unique third kit for 2025/26, which includes the adidas Trefoil logo for the first time, ” the club said in a statement. “The stained glass windows are synonymous with Villa Park and are a unifying factor of the matchday experience for generations of fans. We are very pleased that adidas have brought their unique brilliance to life with this design.â€.
An effort bound to become an instant classic among fans, Aston Villa’s 2025/26 third shirt is available now via adidas’ official website and through select global retailers.