Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace Report

Scorers: Watkins 36’, Barkley 77’; Sarr 4’, Devenny 45+1’

Aston Villa twice came from behind to secure a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace, maintaining an impressive record of just one defeat in their last 13 Premier League home encounters against the Eagles.

First Half: Palace Strike Early, Villa Hit Back

Returning from the international break, Palace made a dream start as Jean-Philippe Mateta released Ismaïla Sarr, who expertly shrugged off Ian Maatsen to calmly slot home after just four minutes.

Villa were undeterred and launched an immediate response, but John McGinn’s shot was blocked, Morgan Rogers scuffed a great chance, and Ollie Watkins sent a powerful header narrowly over the bar.

Villa kept the pressure on, with Leon Bailey’s brilliant pass setting up Watkins, only for Dean Henderson to produce a sharp save. The equaliser finally came in the 25th minute when Watkins latched onto McGinn’s perfectly weighted through ball, rounding Henderson to slot into the empty net.

The home side nearly turned the game on its head as Bailey smashed a thunderous shot against the post. Moments later, the winger won a penalty after being fouled by Will Hughes, but Henderson came to the rescue for Palace with a stunning save to deny Youri Tielemans. That missed opportunity proved costly as Palace capitalised on a swift counterattack, with Sarr setting up Justin Devenny to score his first-ever senior goal, restoring the Eagles’ lead before halftime.

Second Half: Villa Fight Back Again

Villa emerged determined in the second half, with Watkins continuing to lead the charge. The striker was denied by a brilliant recovery tackle from Maxence Lacroix, while Trevoh Chalobah deflected another effort wide. At the other end, Mateta’s header forced a save from Emiliano Martínez, as Palace showed they remained a threat on the break.

Villa’s persistence finally paid off late in the game. From a corner, substitute Ross Barkley rose highest to direct a brilliant header into the top corner, levelling the match once again. Palace had a golden opportunity to restore their lead immediately, but Sarr squandered his chance, while Martínez made a crucial save to tip Jeffrey Schlupp’s shot onto the post. In the dying moments, Jefferson Lerma saw his long-range effort fizz narrowly wide as the match ended in a stalemate.

Conclusion

The result ends Villa’s four-game losing streak across all competitions, offering a morale boost ahead of a challenging UEFA Champions League clash against Juventus. For Palace, a point at Villa Park is a commendable result, but they remain frustrated at their inability to secure all three points despite leading twice.

Villa move into mid-table while Palace continue to hover just above the relegation zone, needing to convert these resilient performances into wins to climb higher.

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Aston Villa v Crystal Palace, 2024/25 | Premier League