On Saturday afternoon, Aston Villa hosted AFC Bournemouth – having secured their third win as many Champions League games in midweek at home to Bologna. Andoni Iraola’s side came into the game full of confidence, after their 2-0 win at home to Arsenal last weekend.
For this game, Unai Emery went with a line up of; Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; McGinn, Onana, Tielemans, Ramsey; Rogers; Watkins.
Meanwhile, his Basque counterpart Iraola went with; Travers; Araujo, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez; Cook, Christie; Ouattara, Kluivert, Semenyo; Ünal.
Aston Villa 1-1 Bournemouth: As it happened
After half an hour, McGinn thought he had given Villa the lead, but upon a VAR review, the ball was adjudged to have gone out of play. Straight after, Araujo had to be taken off with an injury and was replaced by Smith.
Travers in the Bournemouth goal was very busy, making four saves in the first half, to deny the likes of Watkins and Tielemans from giving Villa the lead.
After the sides went into the break goalless, Emery went for the jugular by introducing Barkley for Onana at half-time, and Duran for Rogers just before the hour mark, as Bournemouth, and Travers in particular, continued to hold firm in a resilient display.
With twenty minutes left, Maatsen and Bailey replaced Digne and McGinn. Five minutes later, Villa would finally get the breakthrough, courtesy of a sub.
Not that one. On this occasion, it was not Duran, but Barkley who gave Villa the lead, scoring from close range after being teed up by another substitute in Bailey. Villa once again showing just how good their squad depth is.
It looked like Barkley's goal was going to be enough to secure all three points for Villa, but substitute Evanilson's 96th minute equaliser from an unbelievable header, earned the Cherries a share of the spoils, as the trend of very late goals in the Premier League today continued.