Aston Villa picked up a comfortable 3-0 win over Leeds Utd at Elland Road, with Philippe Coutinho, Matty Cash and Calum Chambers leading us to three points.
Victory in midweek means Villa have now recorded three consecutive clean sheets and three wins while scoring nine goals in the process, as Steven Gerrard has seemingly now found the right balance in the side as performances continue to improve.
READ MORE: Leeds Utd 0-3 Aston Villa: Match report, highlights as Coutinho, Cash and Chambers on mark
Further, Villa have now limited the opposition to just one shot on target in back-to-back games, and so while our attacking players are impressing and scoring goals, we’ve also been defensively sound to build a foundation on which we can go out and win games.
While there were impressive performances across the pitch, it was Cash in particular who stood out as his good form continues.
Aston Villa player ratings vs Leeds Utd:
Emiliano Martinez, 7 – Had very little to do once again as his teammates allowed just one attempt on target, but he looked composed and in full control when collecting and distributing the ball.
Matty Cash, 9 – That’s now two goals and two assists in his last three Villa appearances, as he is certainly stepping up and becoming more consistent in the final third. Defensively solid as he usually is, but he’s added that all-important end product to his game which hopefully remains on display in the weeks ahead.
Calum Chambers, 8.5 – Kept his place after a good performance last time out, and he could very well keep Ezri Konsa on the bench at the weekend again. Did little wrong from a defensive perspective, and capped his night off with a stunning finish to make it 3-0.
Tyrone Mings, 7 – Overcame a shaky start and plenty of attention from the Leeds faithful to put in a good shift. Picked up a silly yellow card, but other than that, allowed the opposition very little when directly engaged defensively.
Lucas Digne, 7 – A bit of a sloppy performance on his return to the Villa XI, as he didn’t quite get it going down that left flank. Still put in an important contribution to the win along with the team as a whole, but he’ll hope to improve on this showing.
John McGinn, 7 – Started slowly and looked a bit off the pace, but gradually became more influential and impactful for us in that midfield battle to give us more control, particularly in the second half.
Douglas Luiz, 6.5 – 100 Villa appearances for the Brazilian, and he started to show more positive signs in the early stages in terms of his defensive work in the No.6 role. However, his positioning and awareness for that role is still questionable, as although he does well to tick possession over for us, he always seems to be scrambling out of possession.
Jacob Ramsey, 6.5 – A quiet night for JJ, as although he showed some flashes with his ability to drive forward with the ball at his feet, he was sloppy and gave the ball away too easily. Gerrard could perhaps be eyeing a rest for him on Sunday to allow him to reset.
Philippe Coutinho, 8.5 – Albeit it took a deflection, he took his goal well in terms of finding space in the box to get the shot off and break the deadlock. Looked bright throughout, always looking to make something happen, and that’s now four goals and three assists in eight appearances since joining Villa.
Ollie Watkins, 7 – Worked tirelessly off the ball, but his early yellow card possibly influenced how committed he was after that. Missed a big chance in the first half after doing so well to create the opening for himself, and so he’ll be disappointed he couldn’t continue his goalscoring form.
Danny Ings, 7.5 – Brilliant ball to switch play and provide the assist for Cash’s goal, and similarly to Watkins, he worked so hard for the team and defended from the front to make it difficult for Leeds. Didn’t offer too much of a goal threat directly, but a positive outing again.
Substitutes:
Morgan Sanson, 6.5 – Looked tidy in possession as he kept the ball ticking over and won several duels in midfield to help us see out the win. With Ramsey potentially getting a rest this weekend, it would be great to see Sanson get another chance in the Villa starting XI.
Emiliano Buendia, 6.5 – Bright in his play as he showed his flair and technical quality even in limited playing time. He’ll be another who is hoping to be more involved in the upcoming games if Gerrard decides to rotate.
Ashley Young, N/A