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Tag: Aston Villa

  • I’d like to sign Aston Villa captain – Mourinho

    I’d like to sign Aston Villa captain – Mourinho

    Roma coach Jose Mourinho admits he’s a fan of Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish.

    However, he says the England ace will be out of range of Roma’s transfer budget this summer.

    Mourinho admits Villa chief executive Christian Purslow, who worked with Mourinho at Chelsea, knows that too.

    Mourinho said: “Look, I think he knows where he wants to go, I think he knows the type of club to be able to buy him.

    “My friend Christian Purslow also knows the value of the player, and of course that is not for Roma. If it is for Italian football, it would be a different club, not for us.”

  • EPL: Man Utd comeback win keeps City waiting on title

    EPL: Man Utd comeback win keeps City waiting on title

    Manchester United virtually guaranteed a Premier League top-four finish and ensured rivals Manchester City must wait to be crowned champions as they came from behind to beat Aston Villa at Villa Park.

    Having sealed their place in the Europa League final despite a 3-2 second-leg defeat by Roma on Thursday, second-half goals from Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood and substitute Edinson Cavani ensured Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side require a single point from their remaining four games to secure a Champions League place.

    A win for Villa would have sealed the title for leaders City – beaten 2-1 by Chelsea on Saturday – and Bertrand Traore’s emphatic finish into the top corner midway through the first half threatened to do just that.

    Emiliano Martinez was equal to attempts from Greenwood and Marcus Rashford as United struggled to respond initially, while Dean Henderson kept out Ollie Watkins’ strike to deny Villa a second before half-time.

    United levelled shortly after the restart when Fernandes calmly slotted in a penalty after Douglas Luiz needlessly fouled Paul Pogba, and Greenwood completed a four-minute turnaround when his low strike found the bottom corner.

    A VAR check for handball against Greenwood was dismissed after Luiz headed the ball onto the arm of the United forward and the visitors successfully resisted late Villa pressure despite the loss of captain Harry Maguire to injury before Cavani confirmed victory in the closing stages.

    In a frantic finale, Villa forward Watkins also received a red card for a second booking for simulation when under pressure from goalkeeper Henderson.

    United are 10 points behind champions-elect City but will have the chance to move within four points as they face Leicester and Liverpool before the leaders next play.

    BBC

  • Aston Villa coach rules out signing Barkley permanently

    Aston Villa coach rules out signing Barkley permanently

    Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has ruled out signing permanently Ross Barkley.

    The midfielder is currently on-loan to the end of the season from Chelsea.

    Smith said, “Ross came to us on loan at the beginning of the season.

    “We agreed that it would be just a loan.

    “Barkley has two more years of contract with Chelsea, we did not discuss the possibility of buying the player outright.”

  • Salah relieved after Liverpool defeat Aston Villa

    Salah relieved after Liverpool defeat Aston Villa

    Liverpool star Mohamed Salah was delighted after their late, late victory over Aston Villa on Saturday.

    Trent Alexander-Arnold scored an injury-time winner as Liverpool came from behind to beat Aston Villa and end a run of six consecutive defeats at Anfield.

    Ollie Watkins – who scored a hat-trick in Villa’s 7-2 win in the reverse game – fired the visitors ahead with a shot which squirmed through Alisson.

    The Reds drew level when Salah headed into an empty net after Emiliano Martinez parried Andy Robertson’s cross.

    And late on Alexander-Arnold curled home from the edge of the box after Villa failed to clear the ball.

    Salah later said, “Finally! It was a great game, tough game but we won the game and that was the most important thing.

    “We have lost a couple of games here and mentally it was like ‘oh no, not again’ but we did a good job second-half.

    “It’s hard not to win at Anfield for a couple of games, we also missed a couple of chances in the first half and we were thinking ‘not again’ but the second half we managed to play good.

    “It’s really important to win. I think there are only seven games left? So it’s really important. We want to play Champions League next year but we just need to focus on each game and try and win them all and hopefully, we can be in that fourth place.”

    On Alexander-Arnold, he added: “I think he just needs to push himself. He’s been training well and he’s played really well the last couple of games. He just needs to try and keep focused – don’t listen to anyone, just try as hard as you can and it will come.”

  • I love Arsenal but they never trusted me – Martinez

    I love Arsenal but they never trusted me – Martinez

    Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez has taken fresh aim at former club Arsenal.

    Martinez says the Gunners “didn’t deserve” to keep him after he was continually overlooked by management.

    “I love everything about Arsenal,” Martinez told Sky Sports.

    “I still love them and I’m still watching the games, but I just felt like they didn’t trust me like they should have.

    “That’s the reality because they kept buying goalkeepers to go in front of me and I was the goalkeeper from the academy.

    “When I was on a high, I still felt like they didn’t deserve me because of the way they were treating me. They couldn’t guarantee me the games I needed so I thought that if they couldn’t guarantee me the games I needed, then I’m moving on.

    “They didn’t say to me that I wasn’t going to play, they just didn’t guarantee me the games that I wanted to play.

    “So, after 10 years, I decided to leave, and it was very difficult. My family didn’t understand why I was leaving when I was at such a good level at Arsenal, but it was my decision to leave and I’m really proud I did it.

    “It was a gamble, but I always believe that if you stay in the comfort zone, you will never reach anything in life. I decided to take the step up.”

  • I study Kevin De Bruyne – Grealish

    I study Kevin De Bruyne – Grealish

    Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish constantly watches Kevin De Bruyne to improve his own game.

    The Manchester City playmaker has been one of the Premier League’s best players for several years.

    “De Bruyne is my favourite player,” Grealish told UMM. “I think he is probably the most perfect footballer in the Prem. I try and take little bits really out of his game.

    “Although I had a good season last year, if you actually looked at it my big chances created weren’t as high as other people in my position.

    “This year my expected assists I think is the highest, and my big chances created is up there as well, so that’s what I wanted to improve on, and that was obviously really looking at De Bruyne and his game and what he does.”

  • Why I chose Newcastle over Aston Villa – Wilson

    Why I chose Newcastle over Aston Villa – Wilson

    Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson admits a move to Aston Villa was close.

    Wilson has revealed that he could have joined Aston Villa instead of the Magpies this summer after Dean Smith’s side also agreed a fee with Bournemouth for his services.

    Speaking on The Super6 Podcast, Wilson has revealed it was a straight choice between the two clubs as to who he would join, and explained how he came to the decision.

    “On the same day Newcastle was agreed, Aston Villa was agreed as well,” he said.

    “So for me I had two big decisions.

    “It was a tricky one. I spoke with both managers and wanted to have the opportunity to go and see both clubs, similar to how I did with Bournemouth and Norwich.

    “I wrote down pros and cons for both clubs and a sheet of paper, similar to how I make my big decisions.

    “I looked at squads, I looked at everything.

    “Nobody could have predicted how Aston Villa were going to go this season, or how Newcastle’s is going so far.

    “But for me when Newcastle came around there was such history of the club, an iconic club, the number nines. And I keep in touch with Shearer from time to time, so there was a connection there.

    “So I could go up there, prove to such a big club who Callum Wilson is, for me that’s what I was relishing.”

  • Aston Villa matchwinner: Beating Arsenal a big result

    Aston Villa matchwinner: Beating Arsenal a big result

    Ollie Watkins was buzzing after proving the matchwinner for Aston Villa’s 1-0 victory over Arsenal on Saturday.

    Former Arsenal keeper Emiliano Martinez started the move which led to Bertrand Traore pouncing on a mistake by Cedric Soares before Watkins scored with a shot that deflected off Rob Holding.

    Boyhood Gunners fan Ryan, signed on loan from Brighton in January and starting in place of suspended first-choice keeper Bernd Leno, produced a fine save to deny Traore a goal on his return to the Villa side.

    Martinez frustrated his former club further when the Argentine produced an excellent save to keep out Granit Xhaka’s free-kick.

    Villa move up to eighth in the Premier League with Arsenal in 10th.

    Watkins said, “It’s a big result. We’ve played some good stuff but not got the results so delighted today. We had to grind it out and that’s what it’s all about.

    “We were a bit off it against West Ham and they punished us for that so we needed a big reaction and we showed that out there.

    “We have to just focus on the next game. Europe is a long way away, hopefully we just keep plugging away and see where we are at the end of the season.”

    On his goal, he added: “There was a bit of confusion from Arsenal at the back, I hit it with my left foot and it hit a defender and went in.”

  • Watkins scores as Arsenal lose to Aston Villa

    Watkins scores as Arsenal lose to Aston Villa

    Goalkeeper Mat Ryan conceded 74 seconds into his debut for Arsenal as Aston Villa completed their first top-flight double over the Gunners for 28 years.

    Former Arsenal keeper Emiliano Martinez started the move which led to Bertrand Traore pouncing on a mistake by Cedric Soares before Ollie Watkins scored with a shot that deflected off Rob Holding.

    Boyhood Gunners fan Ryan, signed on loan from Brighton in January and starting in place of suspended first-choice keeper Bernd Leno, produced a fine save to deny Traore a goal on his return to the Villa side.

    Martinez frustrated his former club further when the Argentine produced an excellent save to keep out Granit Xhaka’s free-kick.

    Villa moves up to eighth in the Premier League with Arsenal in 10th.

    BBC

  • Liverpool rout Aston Villa to reach FA Cup fourth round

    Liverpool rout Aston Villa to reach FA Cup fourth round

    Liverpool scored three goals in five second half minutes to reach the FA Cup fourth round with a 4-1 win at Aston Villa on Friday.

    This was after the home side were forced to field academy players due to a mass COVID-19 outbreak among their ranks.

    Sadio Mane scored twice for the English champions while Georginio Wijnaldum and Mohamed Salah added one each to cancel out a fine goal by Aston Villa’s 17-year-old striker Louie Barry.

    The player was netting on his senior debut for the Midlands side.

    Aston Villa stunned Liverpool 7-2 in the English Premier League (EPL) at the same venue in October, but they had no chance of emulating the success this time around.

    Nine of their first team players and five staff members tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday.

    Aston Villa’s Under-23 coach Mark Delaney took charge of the game instead of first team manager Dean Smith and the club also closed their training ground following the outbreak.

    Mane headed Liverpool into a fourth minute lead before Barry enjoyed a moment of glory in the 41st minute.

    That was when he levelled as he raced clear of Rhys Williams and steered a low shot into the bottom left corner.

    Liverpool’s incessant pressure paid dividends after the break with Wijnaldum restoring their lead on the hour.

    He side-footed a sublime shot past goalkeeper Akos Onodi after good work from Salah and Takumi Minamino.

    Mane made it 3-1 with a looping header from a Xherdan Shaqiri cross.

    Salah sealed Liverpool’s progress with a shot on the turn past Onodi, who made an array of fine saves throughout the match.

    Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp was not entirely happy with the performance, having praised the youngsters while pointing out that his side had made too many simple errors.

    “The kids did really well —— that’s good,” he said.

    “Problems in passing and moving. Too many on the wrong side of the ball, not enough recoveries of passes.

    “We had chances and shot the ball directly at the goalie —— we changed it in the second half. It was rusty but better in the second half.”

    In the evening’s other fixture, Wolverhampton Wanderers beat Crystal Palace 1-0 thanks to Adama Traore’s 35th minute strike.

    This was after he beat visiting goalkeeper Jack Butland with a thunderbolt from the edge of the penalty area.

    Wolves dominated as Fabio Silva headed over the bar early on and Butland parried a low Nelson Semedo drive.

    But he was powerless when Traore teed himself up and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.

    The home team’s manager Nuno Espirito Santo praised Traore after the winger netted his first goal of the season in any competition.

    “It was a special goal from a special player,” said the Portuguese.

    “I am very happy because I think this goal will boost his confidence. He has been really trying in training sessions and that is why I am so happy.”