Aston Villa

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Aston Villa and Leeds United.

Here are some of your comments:

Aston Villa fans

Trevor: Lacklustre. It's a shame because we made too many errors. We have a tough game next Friday against Wolves. We need to have a better gameplan, and gee up those players that didn't give it their all.

Prit: Leeds played extraordinary well and Daniel Farke is doing a great job. As for Villa, we were poor for large parts of the game and I think Unai Emery got the team selection wrong. Villa need to be starting with Tammy Abraham as Ollie Watkins has failed too many times this season. Leon Bailey is a good player to bring on as sub - but we can't start with him. We needed three points but deserved only one. We desperately need John McGinn and Youri Tielemans back as soon as possible - otherwise, we will sleepwalk out of the top four.

Matthew: While injuries have ripped the literal heart out of this Aston Villa side, for over an hour the 11 on the pitch showed no metaphorical heart either. The confidence and perseverance that has characterised much of the season was absent. It wasn't until the introduction of Ross Barkley and Jadon Sancho that we finally got some of the stability and cutting edge we needed, allowing a much better final 20 minutes or so. Overall, though, not good enough from too many players, especially the woeful Bailey.

Martyn: This was never going to be an easy game and we just never got going until it was too late. Even Superman Rogers was pretty anonymous and it must be time to drop Watkins for Tammy. But hey - a top five finish is within sight and completely under our own control. Catch us if you can!

Leeds fans

Eric: It says something when we come away from Villa unhappy that we dropped two points, instead of being happy that we came away from a top four club with one point. Bit frustrated, though, at once again conceding right at the death - close, but just not close enough.

Fazzinho: Farke deserves a lot of credit. The team is overachieving based on their cost and ability. We're not there yet, but two away draws against top four teams is unbelievable.

Andy: I know every point is a good point, but we are dropping too many points from winning positions. More points dropped because the manager can't identify when he needs to make substitutions. Ilia Gruev ran himself into the ground but from 70 minutes onwards the game screamed out for Dan James as an outlet, as he doesn't shirk the defensive work.

Henrik: A gritty display with a degree of luck. We take the point and move further towards safety.

Chelsea could allow 26-year-old England defender Trevoh Chalobah to join Aston Villa this summer if the Blues can sign a replacement. (Caughtoffside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Michael Emons
BBC Sport journalist

Seven years after firing them into the Premier League, Tammy Abraham is back scoring goals at Aston Villa to keep their fans and manager dreaming of glory.

With Villa on the verge of losing 1-0 to Leeds United on Saturday, substitute Abraham, who had only been on the pitch for 13 minutes, guided the ball with his knee into the net to score an 88th-minute equaliser.

It was the 28-year-old's second goal since returning to the club following his £18.2m move from Besiktas in January, after scoring in the 3-1 loss to Newcastle in the FA Cup seven days ago.

Abraham, who received a great reception from the club's fans when he came on, played alongside Ollie Watkins, instead of replacing him.

Emery said that was a tactic he would do again in the right circumstances, with Abraham also relishing the competition for a place.

"We spoke about it [playing together] a few times in training, and luckily we were able to grab the goal so the gaffer can see that it can work," added Abraham.

"We know he is a top striker and he has been here for a few years and scored many goals, so it is fantastic competition to have."

Emery was full of praise for the new recruit and added: "He left the Premier League seven years ago and now he is adapting in everything we're demanding.

"It's a huge commitment from him to try to help us with his qualities, and he showed it because he played 20 minutes and he was motivated, excited and scored from it."

Pundits Wayne Rooney and Micah Richards join host Mark Chapman to bring you the action and talking points from Saturday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Chelsea 1-1 Burnley

• Aston Villa 1-1 Leeds

• West Ham 1-1 Bournemouth

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, speaking to BBC Sport: "Good evening. This point is good. Why? This match is very difficult and this is the consistency we must keep. Leeds deserved to draw. We created chances in the second half but they had chances to score.

"They were defending lower than in the first half. They were pushing us. We tried to dominate in combination but it was difficult. We didn't need to play a long ball to Watkins. We needed to play outside more than inside. The best chance we had was in the first half. Accepting how we finish drawing this match."

On Tammy Abraham: "He is competing to improve our attacking third with Ollie Watkins. We played both today because we needed him. He was good. Today we achieved one point with his goal.

"Kamara is out for the season. We have players doing good work and they are performing and working."

Aston Villa forward Tammy Abraham speaking to BBC Final Score: "Watching Leeds with their past few results they have been grabbing draws and making games tough for opponents. So we knew what to expect and we are happy that we didn't end up losing the game and we just have to keep going and keep believing in ourselves."

On whether the Villa dressing room feel like they are title contenders: "When I first arrived I spoke with a few of the boys and watching from a far you can see that the team has a lot of qualities. We're delighted to be where we are today but we are so close, so we have to just keep pushing and keep believing in ourselves.

"Who knows what can happen? We are not too far from Arsenal who are at the top. Unfortunately today we didn't get the win but we just have to keep pushing."

On the battle for the centre forward role at Villa: "We spoke about it a few times in training [playing together], and luckily we were able to grab the goal so the gaffer can see that it can work. We know he is a top striker and he has been here for a few years and scored many goals, so is fantastic competition to have. I'm happy to be back home, I just need to find myself a house."

On whether today's opponents Leeds can stay in the top flight: "100%. They have a lot of quality and players who have been here before and done it. DCL [Calvert-Lewin] is currently good form and scoring goals and they are creating chances for him. They definitely have the quality to stay up."

Did you know?

• Aston Villa have won 19 points from losing positions in the Premier League this season - more than any other side - while only in 1993-94 have the Villans won more in a campaign in the competition, with 21.

You can listen to Unai Emery's post-match comments on BBC Sounds

Michael Emons
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Last month boss Unai Emery dismissed talk of his side pushing to become English champions, instead saying they were unlikely to finish in the top five - and this game against Leeds was another sign they are not ready to challenge in the title race.

The result means they have only picked up five points from their past four matches, although they remain in a strong position to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Before the match, writing in the matchday programme, Emery was trying to remind the fans the club were having a fine season despite recent results going against them.

He wrote: "We are at a beautiful and fantastic moment to compete in two competitions for the remainder of the season. It is the moment to show our wishes and follow our dreams.

"We have a great opportunity to achieve our objectives and dream of big things. Our position in the table is enviable and we all would have signed up for it before the season began."

Nevertheless, this was a chance missed against a side with such a poor away record and there was a smattering of boos from the home fans at half-time.

But those boos turned into cheers with the late goal.

Villa dominated the second half and, after the introduction of Jadon Sancho and Abraham, they piled on the pressure.

Abraham, who scored 25 goals in 37 Championship appearances for Villa during a loan spell from Chelsea in 2018-19, was the one to make the breakthrough.

He had grabbed a goal in the 3-1 loss to Newcastle in the FA Cup a week ago and he was on target again to the delight of the Villa faithful.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Aston Villa's performance

What did you make of Leeds' display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Image source, BBC Sport

Unai Emery makes seven changes to the Aston Villa side that exited the FA Cup with a 3-1 home loss to Newcastle a week ago.

Emiliano Martinez was always going to return in goal, but Marco Bizot's red card in that game means Villa have 21-year-old James Wright, yet to play a minute competitively for the club, as their back-up goalkeeper.

Tammy Abraham's first goal for Villa since his £18.2m move from Besiktas is not enough to keep him in the team as Ollie Watkins starts up front.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen, Luiz, Onana, Rogers, Buendia, Bailey, Watkins.

Subs: Wright, Lindelof, Digne, Torres, Garcia, Bogarde, Barkley, Sancho, Abraham.

Only James Justin and Gabriel Gudmundsson remain from the 11 that began Leeds' win over Birmingham in the FA Cup as boss Daniel Farke makes nine changes.

Top scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin returns up front.

Leeds XI: Darlow, Bogle, Ampadu, Justin, Gudmundsson, Struijk, Rodon, Gruev, Stach, Aaronson, Calvert-Lewin.

Subs: Perri, Bornauw, Bijol, Tanaka, Longstaff, Nmecha, Gnonto, James, Piroe.

Image source, BBC Sport

There are five games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Aston Villa v Leeds - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Brentford v Brighton

• Chelsea v Burnley - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• West Ham v Bournemouth (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Manchester City v Newcastle (20:00)

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to Aston Villa v Leeds" or "ask BBC Sounds to play West Ham v Bournemouth", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

Noel Sliney
BBC Sport senior journalist

This game will be Aston Villa's first Saturday 3pm kick-off at home in the Premier League for 371 days.

They were held to a 1-1 draw by Ipswich Town's 10 men back then and are in stuttering form ahead of the visit of Leeds United, who they beat 2-1 in November's reverse fixture thanks to two second-half goals by Morgan Rogers.

Ton up for Emery?

Third-placed Aston Villa have been in mid-table form over their past eight league games, with three wins, three defeats and 11 points during that spell. They've only scored four goals in their six most recent top-flight fixtures, most recently profiting from a late own goal to beat Brighton.

That was followed by last weekend's FA Cup exit to Newcastle – Villa's third home defeat in five matches, as many losses as in their previous 43 fixtures at Villa Park.

Key midfield injuries have inevitably affected performances, but the Villans tend to find a way of engineering results under Unai Emery. The Spaniard, who took over in 2022 with Villa only a point above the relegation zone, has a 56% win percentage – the highest of any permanent manager in the club's history.

Against Leeds, he could become only the fifth manager or de facto manager to reach 100 wins with Villa, doing so in the fewest games.

Under Emery, Villa are unbeaten in all 18 league games against promoted sides, winning 14 and drawing four.

Improved Leeds seek elusive away win

Emery's counterpart Daniel Farke has found an effective gameplan for his Leeds side since a home defeat by Villa in November kept them in the relegation zone. The switch to a back three midway through the next game, away to Manchester City, has provided the platform for sustained improvement.

Leeds have only lost two league matches since the start of December, a record only bettered by the two Manchester clubs. The Whites have registered a league-high seven draws over that 13-match period, including against current top-six sides Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool (twice).

"We are on a good path but I am a realistic person," said Farke. "We have to win many more points and for that we will stay with a foot on the gas."

The next step for 15th-placed Leeds is to win away. They've gone 10 top-flight games without doing so and their only Premier League victory on the road this season came in September at bottom side Wolves.

I was at Elland Road when Aston Villa won there in November - Leeds were really good in the first half but faded, and two Morgan Rogers goals gave Villa the points.

Leeds' form has picked up a lot since then, however, and they are on 30 points now.

That would have been enough to keep them up last season, when third-bottom Leicester went down with 25 points, but they have still got some work to do.

Villa have slipped up a couple of times at home in the past few weeks, losing unexpectedly to Everton and Brentford, and they are probably looking at the table thinking they should be breathing down leaders Arsenal's neck.

I can see Leeds giving them another good game, but I don't see Unai Emery's side dropping points this time. Villa will find a way.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Read more of Sutton's predictions

Tyrese King
BBC Sport journalist

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Leeds United at Villa Park (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Emery has confirmed that right-back Matty Cash returns for the weekend's fixture, having missed the past two matches. "He trained the last two training sessions and he is feeling good and he is coming back."

• He also said that John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans and Alysson are all still injured, with no indication of when they will return.

• He praised Leeds' versatility: "Sometimes they play in combinations and sometimes they play long balls. Sometimes they go man for man in duels and defend very well. We have analysists watching their game."

• On Aston Villa: "We are being demanding, of course, and we are being consistent, how we want to keep our good form, our mood, our structure tactically, our confidence, sometimes not thinking, only when we are winning."

• He added: "As well, when we are losing, we are trying to identify how we must feel comfortable, confidence, winning and losing, because more or less, the teams are responding in the same ways when we are winning and when we are losing."

• He continued: "The confidence is coming with the good results and sometimes losing, you need as well to try to recover first the emotions inside the dressing room."

• Emery explains why the Premier League comes first for him over cup competitions: "I can explain why I am prioritising the Premier League. There are 38 matches and we must be consistent, starting in August and finishing in May because through the Premier League you can play in Europe with the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League."

• On Villa being third in the league: "Of course, we are feeling so, so comfortable, third in the league. We are so, so happy, but we know we must be so, so demanding to keep it and to dream."

• He added: "To dream in football and to dream expecting to achieve something important, is very important, as well and to have this objective or this motivation, I like a lot."

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Aston Villa want to sign Wales midfielder Harry Wilson on a free transfer from Fulham this summer, with the 28-year-old also said to be a target for Everton. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Manchester City's English goalkeeper James Trafford, 23, is prioritising a move to Aston Villa over Newcastle United this summer. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Aston Villa attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers is a potential target Tottenham, who could spend big in the summer. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on whether Unai Emery needs to win a trophy to be classed as an Aston Villa 'great'. In his column below, BBC Radio WM's Mike Taylor raises the topic as he says more and more fans are debating it.

Here are some of your comments:

Chris: To finish in the top four, considering that almost half the first choice players have been missing for large parts of the season, I believe would represent a successful season. Success in Europe would be the icing on the cake. I believe Unai Emery to be a fabulous manager and coach and he has really got a tune out of this squad, despite the setbacks. Silverware would be the ultimate achievement.

Dylan: Unai has done a great job at Villa but to be considered a Villa great I think he needs to lift a trophy. If we win the Europa League I think he can then be called a 'great'. Whether that happens with our injuries remains to be seen.

David: No. Emery doesn't need to win something to be remembered as a great at Aston Villa. I am 48 years old and these are the best times I can remember supporting my club. Consistently playing in Europe, going toe to toe with some of the big hitters and coming out on top. In spending very little, he has transformed the club. He is an elite level manager, the likes we might not see again!

Martyn: In two words.... absolutely not! Look at other clubs and their managers - some have won trophies but not had anywhere near the impact on the team, the club nor the fans that Unai has. While success is often measured in silverware, what he and they have performed for us as fans is nothing short of amazing, and that's in a lifetime for me of Atkinson, O'Neill, Gregory and Smith.

Darren: Having read the excellent Rise of the Villans book by Guillem Balague, it's clear that Emery is motivated to win trophies. That aligns with us supporters' expectations perfectly!

Prit: I think we need to put things into perspective. Before Unai Emery came to Villa we were barely back in the Premier League and struggling towards the bottom. With just a few key additions, and largely the same Dean Smith/Steven Gerrard team, he has made us competitive and brought joy to the Villa fans.

Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter

Image source, Getty Images

"We've got bigger fish to fry," said Villa supporter Gavin on this page the other day, and he's probably right.

Unai Emery made it clear that the FA Cup was important, but there is a hierarchy of importance, with the Premier League at the top.

On that basis, going out of the FA Cup was a disappointment but not a calamity.

That will feel fine if Villa go on to fulfil their potential this season. There were some aspects of Saturday night's game that added to concerns about their recent form.

Villa had been riding their luck somewhat to hold the lead before Marco Bizot's mishap, and Newcastle were far superior afterwards.

Bizot's suspension is a new worry given the persistent fitness problems experienced by Emi Martinez this season.

Despite their recent stumbles, attributable at least in part to injuries, that potential for this to turn out as one of Villa's finest modern seasons is still there.

They are as well-placed to reach next season's Champions League as any Villa fans could have hoped for in August, and certainly in September.

They were the ante-post favourites for the Europa League and their results in the first stage justified that prediction.

But it is exactly that forecast which brings us to a question which itself feels slightly wrong, and giving off a sense of entitlement.

• Does Emery need a trophy to be a 'great'? Tell us

Setting aside the Championship play-off and the InterToto Cup – good days, but not on the same scale – it will soon be 30 years since Villa last won a major trophy.

At no point in that period, even in the surges under John Gregory and Martin O'Neill, have Villa felt as strong as they have this season.

The question has been asked recently on the WM Football Phone-In: to be considered a great Villa team, and a great Villa manager, must Unai Emery and this group of players actually win something?

Good chances, in last year's FA Cup and the Conference League in 2024, have gone past.

My own view is that, years from now, we will think of Emery and this team in those terms whether they take a trophy or not.

But Hannah Gowen's excellent piece here yesterday speaks to the same feeling I hear some of our callers wrestling with, that sense that it is not ungrateful to feel that thrills and high positions are not quite enough, that true fulfilment comes only with a prize you can polish.

Emery needs nobody to speak for him, but perhaps his high ambitions are fuelled by that same feeling.

Listen to full commentary of Aston Villa v Leeds at 15:00 on Saturday on BBC Radio WM [DAB Birmingham/Freeview 714]

And tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights

Explore Aston Villa content on BBC Sounds

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

Someone said to me earlier in the season, that they couldn't see one single thing positive about VAR. When I suggested the vastly improved number of correct decisions on the biggest calls he refused to believe me. The data bears it out, but in the Aston Villa v Newcastle FA Cup tie, there was the blatant evidence placed before our eyes. There was no technology available and this time it showed.

‌The offside Tammy Abraham goal was allowed to stand, Villa also benefitted because Lucas Digne would have been sent off had VAR had a look at his crude challenge and the penalty not awarded for hand ball 'outside' the box, was blatantly inside, by a couple of feet. Those of us with the benefit of replays got to have a second look, but the officials didn't.

‌I wasn't upset with the officials for getting these decisions wrong, they are human, they make mistakes and they didn't have the help they all welcome from the technology. The only thing that gets me, isn't even the idea that many people hate VARs being used at all, that is a reasonable point of view.

‌No, it is the fact that those three decisions would have been overturned most weeks and their good work would then be completely ignored by the Luddite fraternity.

‌Fortunately, Newcastle went through anyway after suffering these terrible decisions, but the word fortunately is doing a lot of heavy lifting.

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Hannah Gowen
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Another year goes by without a domestic trophy for Aston Villa after an eventful fall out of the FA Cup. The wait continues for the return of silverware in B6, but another cup departure is a reminder that Villa must learn to capitalise on the big moments.

Now in the final third of the Premier League season, it's crunch time for Villa to show that they can achieve their goals for this campaign. Unai Emery has never shied away from the reality that Premier League performance is his top priority, followed closely by European success.

The appointment of Emery more than three years ago was not an appointment to simply steady the ship and maintain top-flight status. His arrival was the marker of a new era - one in which Villa should return to European football and bring trophies to the club.

There is no argument that Emery's work at Villa has not been remarkable, particularly when considering his relatively limited resources in comparison with Champions League rivals. However, the manager will be desperate for a piece of silverware to seal the deal on a successful tenure.

With the focus now solely on the league and European fixtures, a no-excuse culture is needed. All of the usual caveats around injuries, financial constraints and fixture congestion still apply - but it's time for this team to prove their mettle.

A relatively favourable run of fixtures since mid-January has so far resulted in patchy form as Villa struggled with a dismantled midfield. With the rest of February offering a similarly generous fixture list, it's time for another run of momentum to be built.

The gap between Villa in third and the team in sixth remains, but consistency will be key for the final 12 games of the season.

Meanwhile, the last 16 of the Europa League awaits. This is Emery's tournament - if there's a man to push Villa through to lift that trophy in Turkey, it's him. To do so, his team must prove that they can survive under pressure.

Find more from Hannah Gowen at UTV, external