Summary

  • Zaniolo scores 98th-minute equaliser to earn Aston Villa draw with Sheff Utd

  • Villa miss chance to go top of table despite late goal

  • Villa were bidding to reach summit for first time since August 2011

  • Sheff Utd move off bottom with point but still five points from safety

  1. goal

    GOAL - Aston Villa 1-0 Sheffield Unitedpublished at 59 mins

    Leon Bailey

    Aston Villa are going top of the league!

    Wes Foderingham can't meet the corner which is hacked clear to Villa's Lucas Digne who has a shot blocked.

    The Blades then have a chance to clear, don't, and Ollie Watkins wins the ball back before playing a low pass across goal for Leon Bailey who is unmarked at the back post to smash Villa into the lead.

  2. Postpublished at 21:17 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2023

    Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    Emma Smith
    BBC Sport at Villa Park

    Yasser Larouci, who was involved in a tit for tat with Leon Bailey early in the second half which resulted in both being booked, is among those coming off.

    Sheffield United need fresh legs at full back against Bailey and co for this final half an hour.

  3. Postpublished at 59 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    First Sheffield United make some changes. Yasser Larouci looks exhausted as he's replaced by Max Lowe. Andre Books is also off for former Coventry star Gustavo Harmer.

  4. Postpublished at 58 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    Leon Bailey wins Aston Villa a corner. Is this their moment?

  5. Postpublished at 21:15 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2023

    Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    Jamie Carragher
    Former Liverpool defender on Sky Sports

    Aston Villa are getting their joy in the wide areas with the overlapping.

  6. Postpublished at 57 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    Aston Villa pass, pass and pass until they pass the ball straight out of play.

    Sheffield United's fans let the home side know of their error.

  7. Postpublished at 55 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    Aston Villa continue to push as Matty Cash swings in a low cross which beats Leon Bailey and goes straight to Sheffield United keeper Wes Foderingham.

    Seconds later and Cash is in the action again, but this time his cross goes over the head of Lucas Digne.

  8. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 21:12 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2023

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    Sheffield United on a mission to save Christmas. Come on the Blades.

    Aaron - Wolves Fan

  9. YELLOW CARDpublished at 53 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    Another yellow, this time for Sheffield United's Yasser Larouci who commits a tactical foul to stop a Villa attack.

  10. Postpublished at 51 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    Sheffield United launch the ball into the box from the free-kick but it's easily cleared by the Villa defenders.

    We gave this match the big build-up, a chance for Villa to return to the Premier League summit after so long away.

    I can only apologise, it's hardly a classic.

    Aston Villa midfielder Douglas LuizImage source, Getty Images
  11. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 21:08 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2023

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but before this game, Sheff Utd bottom of the table and on the lowest amount ever at this time of the season? So why would you park the bus and hope for a draw? Don't you need to win games to stay up? Annoying negative football.

    Rob

  12. YELLOW CARDpublished at 50 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    Leon Bailey is the first player in the book, dragging down Yasser Larouci to stop a Sheffield United attack.

  13. Postpublished at 48 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    Much better form the hosts. The volume inside Villa Park goes up a notch as Lucas Digne gets in behind and wins Villa a corner.

    The wait for an opener goes on though as the visitors, after a bit of a scramble, manage to clear the ball away.

  14. Postpublished at 46 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    Aston Villa are kicking towards the Holte End and are immediately slowed but Sheffield United's formidable 5-4-1 formation. No change of tactics at the break then.

  15. KICK-OFFpublished at 45 mins

    Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    We go again. Villa start the second half.

  16. Postpublished at 21:02 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2023

    HT: Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    More stats for you:

    • Aston Villa have stopped the opposition from scoring a first-half goal in 12 of their 18 games, no team has done this more in the Premier League this season.
    • Aston Villa are unbeaten in their last 14 home league games against Sheffield United (W8 D6) since losing 2-0 in January 1966.
  17. Postpublished at 21:00 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2023

    Any ideas guys? A bonus point for scoring two goals before half-time?

  18. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 20:58 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2023

    #bbcfootball, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

    When Rugby Union moved to 5 points for a Try it made more entertaining games. With managers not willing to entertain viewers on a Christmas weekend it shows something radical is needed to stop possession based football boring us.

    Derek

  19. Postpublished at 20:55 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2023

    Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    Gary Neville
    Former Manchester United defender on Sky Sports

    I think McGinn and Luiz in midfield will have to be a little bit more creative in the second half.

  20. Postpublished at 20:53 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2023

    HT: Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United

    That said, Sheffield United completed just seven passes in the final third in the first half. Only Crystal Palace (three vs Man City) and Sheffield United (six vs Liverpool) have completed fewer in the first half of a PL game this season.

    United haven't had a shot yet and have touched the ball just three times in the Villa box.