Aston Villa secured a thrilling 3-2 win at Luton Town on Saturday, with a late Lucas Digne goal sealing the three points at Kenilworth Road.
Villa were excellent in the first half as we dominated and took a two-goal lead through a double from Ollie Watkins, but there was a concerning dip in our performance level after the break as the hosts fought back.
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Having dragged themselves level with two set-piece goals, there was concern that Villa had thrown away a strong lead and were set to drop points, but the character and resilience of this side shone through once again.
A patient and well-crafted move eventually led to Moussa Diaby producing a top delivery for Digne to head home at the back post, and that could be a pivotal moment in our season, but it’s certainly a big result to keep our momentum going.
Aston Villa player ratings vs Luton Town:
Emi Martinez, 7.5 – Couldn’t do much about either of the goals as there was a breakdown in the defending in front of him, but he commanded his area well throughout as he collected crosses with minimal fuss over and over again.
Matty Cash, 7 – A solid shift in both phases as he was tenacious and energetic in his defending, and looked to push up and create width when possible to add something to our attacking play. Will be disappointed with the rest of the backline with our inability to hold out and deal with set pieces more efficiently.
Ezri Konsa, 7 – Great to see him back in the side as we’ve certainly missed his presence, and while we should have done better collectively as a defensive unit in the second half to deal with the comeback, he’ll no doubt get stronger as he builds up his match fitness and sharpness.
Clement Lenglet, 7 – Similar to Konsa in that they were solid through the first half while we were on top, but they will be frustrated with the way in which we allowed Luton back into the game in the second half and conceded two goals from set pieces.
Alex Moreno, 6 – Showed his quality at times, but Villa did look increasingly vulnerable down that side of the pitch in the second half, albeit the Spaniard wasn’t exactly helped by his teammates in trying to shut Luton down.
Leon Bailey, 6.5 – Looks sharp on the ball with his touch and ability to beat his man, but he’ll be disappointed that he couldn’t have a more direct impact on the game. Has been vital for us this season though, and his delivery for the opening goal from a corner was spot on.
John McGinn, 7 – Was always going to be crucial in this type of game given his tenacity and grit, and he helped us gain a foothold through the first half to control the game and nullify the crowd. Wasn’t quite as influential after the break as Villa as a whole struggled to deal with Luton’s pressure, but an impressive outing nonetheless.
Douglas Luiz, 7 – Again, similar to others in that he didn’t do enough in the second half as we lost our way and Luton fought back, but he was brilliant in the first half in particular in helping us set the tone and impose ourselves. His quick-thinking and pass to find Watkins for his second was delightful as he registered another assist.
Jacob Ramsey, N/A – Forced off with an injury in the first half, and it’s hoped that it isn’t serious as he has had horrible luck already this season. Looked lively in the initial stages as we threatened from the start.
Youri Tielemans, 6.5 – Was key for us in the opening 45 minutes with his ability to string things together and cause Luton problems with the space he was finding between the lines. However, similarly to many of his teammates, he couldn’t keep that going in the second half as the team as a whole broke down and couldn’t get a hold on proceedings.
Ollie Watkins, 8.5 – Two superb finishes to put us in a commanding position, as he continues to deliver with clinical and decisive impacts on a consistent basis. His touch and finish for the second was particularly brilliant. MOTM.
Substitutes:
Morgan Rogers, 6.5 – Showed some really positive signs with his attacking play after coming on, as he looks a good fit for the way Emery wants us to play. Will need to improve his defensive work though as that was arguably the main factor in the decision to replace him in the latter stages.
Lucas Digne, N/A – Scored the all-important winner as he made a great run at the back post and produced a good finish to seal the three points for us.
Moussa Diaby, N/A – Produced a top delivery into the box to find his compatriot as he made a fundamental impact off the bench.
Nicolo Zaniolo, N/A
Tim Iroegbunam, N/A
