This is how the Aston Villa epic has been forged. With episodes like the one that occurred this Sunday in the 43rd minute of the match that was played at Goodison Park, where Everton had to score 1-0. This was dictated by the long time, the wide spaces, the great advantages that favored the attackers against Emiliano Martínez, the lone goalkeeper. When Dominic Calvert-Lewin was left alone in front of the goal, the stands were overcome with excitement. The goal, finally, blessed his patience. They were about to sing when Calvert-Lewin stepped up with his right foot and adjusted the shot to his left post, seeing that the goalkeeper was going the other way. He looked like a beaten goalie. But Emiliano Martínez, alias Draw, He stretched his leg and managed to deflect the ball out of the goal through a touch. The marker did not move. Neither in the 43rd minute nor in the 100th minute.
0
Jordan Pickford, Mykolenko, James Tarkowski, Coleman, Jarrad Branthwaite, Doucouré, Arnaut Danjuma (Dwight McNeil, min. 63), Jack Harrison, James Garner, Amadou Onana and Calvert-Lewin (Beto, min. 63)
0
Emiliano Martínez, Álex Moreno, Diego Carlos (Matthew Cash, min. 74), Clement Lenglet, Ezri Konsa Ngoyo, McGinn (Nicolo Zaniolo, min. 88), Leon Bailey (Jhon Durán, min. 63), Boubacar Kamara, Douglas Luiz , Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby (Tielemans, min. 63)
Goals
Referee David Coote
Yellow cards Ollie Watkins (min. 30), Diego Carlos (min. 48), Clement Lenglet (min. 72) and Tielemans (min. 74)
The 0-0 draw was largely the work of Villa's goalkeeper. Enough to ensure Unai Emery's team 43 points after 21 games played. The result consolidated the Birmingham club in third place in the Premier with the same points as a Manchester City that has already placed second in its pursuit of Liverpool, which has 45. Another fortunate exit in an increasingly difficult career. It seems that the rivals have begun to unravel the secrets of Villa, less and less surprising, more dense when it comes to tackling closed defenses.
The last time Villa dominated an opponent with aplomb was against Arsenal, on December 9. The pattern repeats itself more clearly as the season goes on. Emery's team finds it more comfortable facing opponents with a dominant spirit. Strong teams are better at it, those that go up to press with the intention of taking over the field and the ball. Against rivals who are waiting for him, such as Brentford, Sheffield, Burnley or Everton, things become complicated for him. So much so that lately even the supposedly strong ones like United have begun to behave like small teams against Villa. This happened at Old Trafford on December 26, when Ten Hag ordered his players to go out and wait for his opponent. Denied the spaces for the counterattack, with surveillance planned to cover the goal in the event of a defensive transition, United took Villa to the terrain of noise and haste. Without spaces, the team lacked clarity. Also this Sunday at Woodison Park, where Sean Dyche reproduced Ten Hag's plan. The news is already spreading like wildfire in the Premier: Villa is being contained by giving him the initiative.
'Man pause'
Villa deserved more against Everton. But not much more than a 0-0. The team could not find a way to penetrate a defense massed in the Pickford area and ended up getting tangled in fruitless searches. Sometimes the long ball to Watkins and Diaby, sometimes the management with Douglas or Tielemans to get the inside pass, sometimes the crosses, almost always the vertigo and the shock, and a feeling of lack of control that only dissipated when the ball passed through the hands or feet of Emiliano Martínez, true man-pause of Villa. Everything gravitates around the goalkeeper in the team led by Emery, and no one has the ball more than his centre-backs, Diego Carlos, Pau Torres, or even Lenglet, stationed on the left as fake side. Between the four of them they tried to create surprising attacks. But the formula did not work against Everton. In the absence of a goal in favor, Dibu secured the clean sheet.
The result of the other match of the day was a breath of fresh air for Aston Villa. United and Tottenham tied (2-2) in a vibrant match that slows them down in their race to reach the Champions League quartet. Tottenham are fifth with 40 points, the same as Arsenal with one more game, and United seventh with 32.
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