Aston Villa broke their goalscoring duck but were pegged back by 10-man Sunderland in a fraught 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light.
The newly-promoted hosts, who played just under an hour a player down after reckless Reinildo saw red, defended stubbornly while offering more goal threat than out-of-sorts Villa, before a flash of inspiration from Matty Cash saw Villa ahead.
The swerving strike fooled goalkeeper Robin Roefs, as Villa found the net for the first time in 427 minutes of Premier League football. But while the long-awaited breakthrough will offer some comfort to Unai Emery, the result will not.
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Sunderland’s Reinildo sees red after kicking out at Villa’s Matty Cash
Villa were pegged back eight minutes after taking the lead when Granit Xhaka planted a clever header towards the run of Wilson Isidor, who poked beyond Emi Martinez.
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Cash thundered in Aston Villa’s first Premier League goal of the season
Isidor has scored in each of Sunderland’s three home games so far – a goal threat Emery can only dream of as his side continue to struggle for creative spark. The Villa manager, clearly irritated, disappeared down the tunnel before the final whistle had sounded. He has plenty to ponder.
“The equaliser was brilliant and well deserved,” Sky Sports’ Roy Keane reflected. “Sunderland reacted fantastically. They’ve got strength and power. Excellent effort and good finish for the equaliser.”
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Sunderland’s efforts were rewarded as Wilson Isidor rolled home the equaliser
Micah Richards, meanwhile, offered a frank assessment of Villa: “The urgency wasn’t there. Everything was too slow. They didn’t create enough. Something’s not right at this moment in time.” Villa have generated the worst xG value of any top-flight side after five played and also rank bottom for shots on target – they finish this weekend marooned in the relegation zone.
Jamie Carragher also weighed in on Villa’s underperformance: “The manager didn’t show enough courage with the changes he made. Just like for like. They had the extra man against a promoted team. Nowhere near good enough.”
Villa extend worrying slump
Analysis by Sky Sports’ Laura Hunter:
Aston Villa have failed to win any of their first five games of a league campaign for the first time in 55 years. And they were made to wait 533 minutes (dating back to last term) for a solitary goal. The fact that strike did not manage to earn three points will particularly irk Unai Emery. Another shy, timid performance might well hurt more.
They landed just one shot on target playing a full half against 10, conceding a higher xG than they were able to generate themselves. Offensively and defensively Villa look spent, and we have only played five games.
Indefensibly, Sunderland looked like the team with a player more, knitted together by the cleverness of old-timer Granit Xhaka. Fourteen new faces came through the door at Sunderland in the summer and yet Regis Le Bris has them competing like seasoned campaigners.
Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins, both anonymous, will continue to soul search. They surely have to be better if Villa are going to arrest this worrying slump.
Emery urges Villa to recover identity
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery:
“We are disappointed and frustrated – not for the result because we should win this match playing with one player more – but the most important thing is how.
“And we have to try to recover and work again with our identity, playing with a style we want to build and a style we had positive experiences with, being successful.
“My frustration is more with that. I have to try to analyse with the players and I will be demanding with them. We have to try to recover some confidence.”
Le Bris praises Sunderland belief
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris:
“It’s a good point. We started well; we managed the first half of the game properly, according to our game plan. The red card changed the whole dynamic.
“We kept the score until half-time and we had the opportunity to change this game plan. It was obvious the second half was connected with a deep block and opportunities with set-plays. I think it went well.
“We conceded the goal and I really liked the reaction because it could’ve been the end of the game. With 10 men, 1-0 down, sometimes you can just give up, but it wasn’t the case.
“We kept the ability to go forward, to think it was possible to change the score, and it happened.”
