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Tag: Aston Villa

  • EPL: Gerrard finally speaks on helping Liverpool win the league

    EPL: Gerrard finally speaks on helping Liverpool win the league

    Former England Midfielder and current Aston Villa manager, Steven Gerrard has reacted to insinuations that he would help either Liverpool or Manchester City win the league.

    Aston Villa will get 15million pounds add on if Manchester City win the league for the acquisition of Jack Grealish.

    Gerrard will travel to The Etihad knowing that victory could help his former club Liverpool lift a second Premier League title in three seasons.

    However, Gerrard has insisted that his integrity should not be questioned ahead of their trip to Manchester City on Sunday.

    Gerrard will travel to The Etihad knowing that victory could help his former club Liverpool lift a second Premier League title in three seasons.

    The Reds currently sit one point behind Pep Guardiola’s men going into the final day of the campaign.

    With all the final day fixtures kicking off at the same time, Liverpool will be playing Wolves at home.

    Even if Villa hold City to a draw at their home, it could be enough to mean Liverpool win the title and remain on course for the most historic achievement English football has ever seen – an unprecedented quadruple.

    But Gerrard told beIN Sports: “I don’t think you ever have to worry about integrity when you are talking to me, or any of our players or Aston Villa.

    “I don’t think that word or that question is fair because we are going to do everything we can to fight for the three points that are available.”

  • Liverpool win at Villa to keep EPL title hopes alive

    Liverpool win at Villa to keep EPL title hopes alive

    Sadio Mane’s second-half winner secured Liverpool a vital 2-1 victory at Aston Villa on Tuesday to keep the pressure on Manchester City in the English Premier League (EPL) title race.

    After the 1-1 draw with Tottenham on Saturday, Liverpool’s championship hopes looked bleak while they were being held to the same scoreline at Villa Park.

    But the Reds’ superior quality ultimately came up trumps.

    Much of the pre-match attention focused on how Liverpool legend and Villa manager Steven Gerrard could be the one to further derail his former side’s quadruple bid.

    Douglas Luiz’s early opener suggested a shock could be on the cards.

    But Joel Matip swiftly equalised, and from that point Liverpool were generally the greater threat, eventually completing the turnaround just past the hour, thanks to Mane.

    Liverpool’s underwhelming start culminated in a defensive mix-up between Kostas Tsimikas and Matip allowing Douglas Luiz to test Alisson and then smash home the rebound.

    But the Reds quickly levelled through Matip in the sixth minute.

    The Cameroonian prodded into the empty net after Virgil van Dijk beat Emiliano Martinez to a loose ball in the Aston Villa penalty box.

    While Liverpool struggled to establish any real control in a feisty first half, the better chances continued to go their way.

    Mane headed just wide, and Naby Keita comically mishit an attempt from 10 yards with the goal at his mercy.

    It was a tighter affair in the second half, though Liverpool’s next clear-cut opportunity proved decisive.

    Luis Diaz did well to pick out Mane from the left, and the Senegal forward brilliantly twisted his body to meet the cross with a header into the bottom-right corner,.

    Aston Villa failed to hit back as Danny Ings had a goal disallowed for offside.

    Liverpool now turn their attentions to the 2021/2022 English FA Cup final match next, as they face Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday.

    They will then go to Southampton three days later in the league, while Aston Villa host Crystal Palace on Sunday.

  • EPL: Arsenal boost top-four hopes with Villa win

    EPL: Arsenal boost top-four hopes with Villa win

    Arsenal strengthened their grip on fourth place in the Premier League with a narrow victory at Aston Villa.

    Bukayo Saka was the standout player as the Gunners secured a sixth win from seven games to move four points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United with a game in hand.

    The England international scored the only goal in the first half with a low drive from the edge of the area after Villa failed to properly clear a cross into the box.

    Villa improved after the break and went close when Ollie Watkins’ deflected shot clipped the outside of the post, before substitute Danny Ings sent a looping header on to the roof of the net.

    …

  • Coutinho reveals reason leaving Liverpool for Barca

    Coutinho reveals reason leaving Liverpool for Barca

    Aston Villa player Philippe Coutinho insists he has no regrets about moving to Barcelona.

    The 29 year-old left Barca in January for Villa on-loan.

    Coutinho said: “Regrets for having signed with Barça? No.

    “At times we have to make decisions, and one of my big dreams was to play for Barcelona, and at that time I decided to make that decision, but always with great affection, respect and of gratitude for Liverpool and for the friendships over the years I have been with the club.

    “But at that time, I had a decision to make and I don’t regret it.”

  • When you’re 2-0 ahead you must defend better – Rangnick

    When you’re 2-0 ahead you must defend better – Rangnick

    Manchester United boss Ralf Rangnick says it’s difficult to find positives after their 2-2 draw at Aston Villa.

    United blew a 2-0 lead in the final minutes for the point.

    Rangnick said, “It is very difficult to find positives after these 95 minutes. I felt it was the best game since I came here, in the first half for 30 minutes we dominated the game. We had taken took some steps forward but have a few things to do better.

    “The plan was to press them in the midzone and we did that very well in the first 30 minutes, and control the ball, and those were the positives. When you are 2-0 up you have to defend better than we did in the last 15 minutes.

    “We gave away too many balls at times in the last 15 minutes, we were not as compact as before and conceded the two goals. In the last 15 minutes before half time we were not as courageous to step up, it was better in the second half and then you have to take the three points home. It feels like a defeat, to be honest.

    “Right now is very disappointed but what we showed was a step forward but it about getting the results, it feels like two points lost and given away.”

  • FA Cup: Two Aston Villa goals disallowed as Man Utd reach fourth-round

    FA Cup: Two Aston Villa goals disallowed as Man Utd reach fourth-round

    Manchester United have scrapped past Aston Villa to reach the FA Cup fourth-round.

    The Red Devils claimed a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford as Villa saw two goals disallowed in a spirited second-half display.

    Scott McTominay got United off to the perfect start after he linked up with midfield partner Fred to score the opener after just eight minutes.

    The Scotland international rose majestically to head home Fred’s precise cross into the box.

    Both teams had plenty of chances for the remainder of the first-half.

    And Villa thought they had squared things up shortly after the break, only for Danny Ings to see his goal overturned after a long consultation with VAR.

    It was deemed that Jacob Ramsey blocked off Edinson Cavani in the build-up, much to the ire of Villa and their travelling support.

    Ollie Watkins was then correctly ruled offside when he poked the ball into an empty net with 59 minutes on the clock.

    Steven Gerrard’s side continued to press for an equaliser, which they deserved after getting the better of United across the 90 minutes.

    However, Ralf Rangnick’s side held on for a confidence boosting victory.

    They will now face Middlesbrough in the fourth-round.

  • Details of Aston Villa deal for Coutinho

    Details of Aston Villa deal for Coutinho

    Details are emerging of Philippe Coutinho’s move to Aston Villa.

    The Barcelona midfielder has joined Villa on-loan to the end of the season with a non-obligatory option to buy.

    Local journalist Gerard Romero reports Barca will cover 65 per cent of Coutinho’s salary.

    Meanwhile, Matteo Moretto has stated the amount of the purchase option present in the operation will be €35-45m.

    Coutinho’s move to Villa means a reunion with manager Steven Gerrard, his former Liverpool teammate.

  • Transfer: Coutinho joins Aston Villa from Barca

    Transfer: Coutinho joins Aston Villa from Barca

    Aston Villa have agreed a deal to bring in former Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona until the end of the season.

    According to BBC, the deal which is subject to a medical and a work permit being granted, includes an option to buy the 29-year-old Brazil international.

    Coutinho joined Barcelona in a £142m move from Liverpool in January 2018.

    However, he has not had the expected impact and Barca are keen to move him on to lighten their wage bill.

    Arsenal, Everton, Newcastle and Tottenham were also linked with a move for Coutinho.

    The playmaker, who has scored 26 goals in 106 appearances for the Catalans, has 18 months to run on his Nou Camp contract, which expires at the end of the 2022-23 season.

    His move reunites him with Villa manager Steven Gerrard, who was his captain at Liverpool.

    Gerrard, who described his former team-mate as a “special footballer” on Thursday, and Coutinho were key parts of the Liverpool side who fell just short of winning the Premier League title in 2014.

    Coutinho scored 41 Premier League in 152 appearances for Liverpool, who he joined in a £8.5m move from Inter Milan in January 2013.

  • Tuchel criticises EPL fixtures after Villa win

    Tuchel criticises EPL fixtures after Villa win

    Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has called the Premier League schedule “not fair” and said his side “are struggling” after sustaining more injuries.

    The Blues won 3-1 at Aston Villa on Sunday, with Romelu Lukaku scoring a goal and winning a penalty in his first match back after a Covid-19 absence.

    Chelsea had a request to have their 0-0 draw versus Wolves on 19 December rejected by the Premier League.

    “It’s like it is – but this cannot be the right way,” said Tuchel.

    While 15 top-flight matches have been postponed so far in December, Chelsea were playing their eighth game in all competitions in the month and have Brighton to come at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

    Callum Hudson-Odoi and Lukaku have both missed games because of Covid-19, while forwards Kai Havertz and Timo Werner were still absent and defender Thiago Silva and midfielder N’Golo Kante picked up injuries in the win at Villa Park.

    “It’s not fair,” added Tuchel. “We’ve all been in bed for 10 days and we play against teams who prepare with games postponed, and who prepare with one week for these matches.

    “They make us play all the time, even if we have Covid. We have new injuries and it won’t stop. People at the green table, in offices, make these decisions.

    “We are struggling, we’re pressing our players. I have maximum respect for what the players did. We do changes because of injuries. We don’t change for tactical reasons any more.”

    “I’m very impressed with my players but super concerned,” added Tuchel. “Maybe we made a big mistake letting players play after corona and one or two training sessions.

    “But obviously they [the Premier League] made us play and so we play.”

    He reiterated his call for five substitutes to be allowed in the Premier League again to help deal with the pandemic, but he said there was “zero chance” of that happening.

    “We are not protecting the players because we are the only league who doesn’t have five changes,” Tuchel said.

    The rule has remained in the rest of Europe’s top leagues since it was introduced in summer 2020.

  • Gerrard to sit out 2 Aston Villa games after positive COVID-19 test

    Gerrard to sit out 2 Aston Villa games after positive COVID-19 test

    Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard will miss the team’s next two English Premier League (EPL) matches after testing positive for COVID-19, the English club said on Saturday.

    Gerrard, 41, who joined the club last month, will miss both Sunday’s home game against Chelsea and Tuesday’s trip to Leeds United while isolating.

    Former Liverpool and England captain Gerrard has led Aston Villa to four wins in six league games since taking over as the manager after the club sacked Dean Smith.

    Aston Villa are 10th in the league on 22 points after 17 matches.

    “Aston Villa can confirm Head Coach Steven Gerrard will be unable to attend our next two Premier League matches with Chelsea and Leeds United as he will be isolating after testing positive for COVID-19,” the club statement read.

    Aston Villa’s league game at home to Burnley last week was postponed about two hours before kick-off due to a COVID-19 outbreak at the club.

    A record 90 new COVID-19 cases were detected among Premier League players and staff in the past week, while 13 games have been postponed so far due to the virus.

    Britain reported a record 122,186 new daily COVID-19 cases on Friday as it battles a surge in infections fuelled by the Omicron variant.