Matt Maher gives his take on Villa's 2-2 draw with Brighton.
Villa went behind early on - but one VAR penalty call they were handed a spot kick that Ollie Watkins dispatched to level things up.
They then went ahead as Morgan Rogers scored just minutes after the restart.
Chances came and went for Villa and they were made to pay as Brighton netted an equaliser nine minutes from time.
Villa went behind early on - but one VAR penalty call they were handed a spot kick that Ollie Watkins dispatched to level things up.
They then went ahead as Morgan Rogers scored just minutes after the restart.
Chances came and went for Villa and they were made to pay as Brighton netted an equaliser nine minutes from time.
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SportsTranscript
00:00Good evening from Villa Park. Well 2024 has been a memorable year for Villa for many reasons.
00:08Obviously returning to the Champions League or the top seven of European football for the first time in 40 years.
00:14But it's a year that's ending on a rather frustrating note.
00:17A 3-0 defeat at Newcastle on Boxing Day followed tonight with a 2-2 draw at home to Brighton.
00:24Villa were behind early on, conceded a rather sloppy goal.
00:27Fought back to lead 2-1 early in the second half and then really had all the momentum
00:32and you felt they were going to put Brighton away and go on to record a fourth consecutive home league win.
00:39But they weren't able to get that third goal.
00:42Brighton made some good changes.
00:44The game became a bit more even and then nine minutes before time, Tarek Lamte scoring an equaliser for the visitors.
00:53So just a point for Villa which keeps a ninth in the table.
00:56And while they're still very much in the race for European football and indeed the Champions League,
01:01they do have work to do over the second half of the season.
01:04They are in the chasing pack rather than head of the field or head of the chasing pack as they were this time last year.
01:11Potentially the biggest news of the night came in the 20th minute.
01:14Pau Torres going off injured, had to be helped off the field by two members of the Villa coaching staff
01:20and was seen leaving the stadium later on on crutches and wearing a protective boot over his foot.
01:27Unai Emery feels, fears rather, that the Spain international has suffered a broken metatarsal
01:32which has obviously ruled him out for some time and be a serious blow for Villa who still have much to play for in 2025.
01:39Otherwise, again, similar story for Villa tonight.
01:42They conceded a couple of, well one sloppy goal.
01:45It has to be said Brighton's equaliser was a really fantastic team goal.
01:48And while Villa did score twice, once the first equaliser ironically enough with the help of a VAR check.
01:54Unai Emery said he wanted to see more VAR used in the Premier League this season.
01:59Well it certainly was in the first half here.
02:01There was a very long check before Ollie Watkins scored a penalty.
02:05Ollie Watkins then set up Morgan Rodgers to put Villa ahead.
02:08But Villa just lack composure, lack finesse in the final third.
02:13And at the moment they concede too many sloppy goals and they don't take enough of their chances.
02:18Not really a recipe for success.