Aston Villa

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."

Listen to live commentary from 14:55 GMT to 16:20 GMT on 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds

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Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Got a question about Aston Villa? Get in touch here and we'll put it to our experts

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

Aston Villa, along with Leeds and Newcastle, are interested in James Trafford of Manchester City, who would prefer to send the 23-year-old goalkeeper out on loan rather than sell this summer. (Teamtalk), external

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

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's FA Cup game between Aston Villa and Newcastle.

Here are some of your comments:

Aston Villa fans

Matthew: Given the injury crisis Villa are facing and the number of changes Emery made, there are a lot of positives in the way we played for much of the match. But the number of gilt-edged opportunities we're gifting the opposition is a real concern - especially when our game plan relies on defensive solidity and exceeding our very low xG values.

Paul: We shot ourselves in the foot twice. Firstly, with the sending off and secondly, with the lazy play for the third Newcastle goal. We're really starting to feel the absence of McGinn, Tielemans and Kamara. With them on the pitch, it becomes comfortable. Worried our season will start to fizzle out now if we're not careful.

Keith: Memo to Mr Emery: Please tell your defenders to stop trying to play keep-ball in their third of the pitch. It inevitably leads to disaster, as shown by the third goal from Newcastle. Too many goals have been conceded this way. Are we to miss out on a Champions League place on goal difference again?

Gavin: A moment of madness changed the game. But only slightly disappointed, as we've got bigger fish to fry - top five and the Europa please, Unai.

Newcastle fans

Geoff: Excellent discipline from Newcastle. Away from home and playing a top team they ran Villa ragged. They looked sharp. They were full of running. This display and midweek against Spurs has put the away hoodoo to bed. Trippier didn't look so sharp but the others were really active and gave us a fine win.

George: Much better in last two away games. Woltemade needs to keep up front and not come deep into midfield. Gets in the box and hey presto... goal. Osula up front needs balls played over defence to run on to, not to feet. Defence much better with Big Dan Burn in it. Tonali must be kept out of the clutches of other clubs. With no Bruno, he is crucial to our defence and attack.

Liam: To come away with the win - despite still playing against 13 men in the second half - is a massive result. It's probably worth us focusing on the cup now, with our league form so patchy. Watch us get City, Arsenal or Liverpool, away, in the next round...

Ken: To keep calm after linesman and referee clangers they must be applauded for a master class of very good football and a much deserved win.

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

Tammy Abraham's opener

A marginal VAR offside decision caused a fair amount of controversy for Newcastle in midweek. Joe Willock had a goal disallowed at Tottenham when the semi-automated technology said his forehead was offside.

Abraham's goal was the kind of decision the video review was brought in for - the real howlers.

The Villa striker was clearly ahead of the defence when Douglas Luiz played the free-kick. With VAR, the goal would have been ruled out.

It would be easy to blame switching between systems as a defence for the assistant, Nick Greenhalgh. But with or without VAR, he would be expected to raise his flag if he's identified an offside.

Should Digne have been sent off?

Would the VAR have stepped in to show a red card to Digne for serious foul play with his late challenge on Jacob Murphy? It is far from certain from what we have seen in the Premier League.

We often hear the VAR has referenced glancing contact to uphold the decison of a yellow card. See Diogo Dalot's challenge on Jeremy Doku in the Manchester derby last month.

Digne did come in at some speed and that would have increased the chance of being sent off on review.

Yet the Frenchman did not push through on to the shin of the Newcastle player. That his foot came off quickly probably would have saved him.

It may well have been one of those where the on-field decision would have stood, whether it was yellow or red card.

Bizot's red card

Serious foul play or denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity (Dogso)?

Really, this incident could have been either. After all, Bizot brought down Murphy with a knee-high challenge - although it was not with studs leading.

When the Dutch goalkeeper fouled the Newcastle forward, the Magpies were left with three attackers up against only Luiz, although Dogso could only be applied to the player fouled.

The VAR would have taken into account the general run of the ball was not towards goal. They would also consider if Luiz would have been able to get across to prevent the shot.

You can make a case for a degree of doubt for Dogso. But much like the Digne decision it is one which would likely have stayed with the on-field decision.

Read more analysis on the officiating in Aston Villa v Newcastle here

Pundits Ellen White and Shay Given join host Alex Scott to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's FA Cup ties.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

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Ciaran Kelly
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Unai Emery could not have made himself clearer.

With 1957 being the last time they won the competition, the Villa manager was well aware of how "important" the FA Cup was to the club's supporters, but stressed "we have a clear order in our priorities".

"As I always said, the Premier League is the most important competition," he wrote in his programme notes before the Newcastle defeat.

Perhaps, then, it was not a surprise Emery made seven changes to his side for this game - one more than Newcastle - and handed Ross Barkley and Leon Bailey - recalled from his loan at Roma - their first starts of the season.

Yet his much-changed side were well-placed to progress until Marco Bizot's rush of blood, and Emery will still take positives from aspects of this display.

Not least Abraham's first goal since his return.

Although he was offside, his strike followed a clever set-piece routine after Morgan Rogers shaped up to shoot only for Luiz to clip the ball into the box for Tammy Abraham to chest down and fire into the net.

How Emery will hope it is the first of many to ease the burden on fellow centre-forward Ollie Watkins.

Villa may have exited the FA Cup, but Emery's team can still end their 30-year wait for a major trophy in the Europa League and are third in the Premier League, with a place in next season's Champions League the target.

It is all set up to be a season to remember.