Aston Villa's Dean Smith rues missed chances after Nick Pope saves Burnley
Burnley have scored only six goals in their 12 Premier League matches this season but they clambered out of the relegation zone thanks to their refusal to concede at Villa Park.
A combination of a special save by Nick Pope, several of the kind of blocks that have become routine for Burnley defenders, and some uncharacteristically scruffy finishing by Aston Villa ensured this eventful contest ended in a stalemate.
Emiliano Martínez’s howl of frustration at the final whistle showed Villa were deeply frustrated to draw for the first time this season. He was not the only one. “We had enough chances to win two games,” said Dean Smith. “But although it was a disappointing result, it was a pleasing performance. The only thing missing was the finishing.”
No player could be singled out for criticism, since practically every Villa player missed at least one chance to score, some, of course, easier than others. At least that reflects one positive aspect of Villa’s display, the fact that they remained a coherent and mostly dominant team despite having to make wholesale changes to their starting lineup for the first time this season owing to the suspensions of Douglas Luiz and Matty Cash and illness for Ezri Konsa, along with injury to Ross Barkley. “Our squad was tested today and it passed with flying colours, so that’s a positive I can take,” said Smith.
Burnley, emboldened for an even bigger challenge after last weekend’s win at Arsenal, made it hard for the hosts to settle. Sean Dyche’s team were the first to threaten a goal, with Jay Rodriguez cutting a smart pass back to Ashley Westwood, whose shot from the edge of the area veered just wide. Villa, devoted to attack, soon found a rhythm, and Charlie Taylor had to make a critical intervention in the 21st minute when he slid in to block an effort from six yards by Bertrand Traoré, who should have shot sooner.
Burnley were rescued by their other full-back on the half hour when Matt Lowton showed wily instincts to position himself on the goalline in time to head away a deflected shot by Ahmed Elmohamady.
Villa mounted something close to an onslaught after that and struck the frame of the goal twice before the break. Anwar El Ghazi’s free-kick from 20 yards was actually heading into the net until Pope tipped it on to the crossbar. Just before half-time Elmohamady flicked on a corner by Traoré to Kortney Hause, whose reflex header from six yards bounced out off the post.
Although Villa merited a half-time lead on the balance of play, Burnley had alarmed them on a couple of counterattacks. The saves that Martínez had to make from Robbie Brady and Chris Wood were elementary but the goalkeeper would surely have been tested more stringently by Dwight McNeil just before the break if Traoré had not charged back to make an excellent tackle on the midfielder, who had slalomed between two defenders on a counter-attack.
For all Villa’s attacking, their centreforward Ollie Watkins got little sight of goal in the first half, spending most of his time as a clever linkman or decoy. But as Villa’s hold on the game grew stronger, Watkins began to find himself in front of goal more often. Pope remained unbeatable, however, clutching the striker’s header to his chest early in the second half. One minute later Watkins turned provider again, teeing up El Ghazi for a drive that flew inches past the post from the edge of the box.
El Ghazi, involved in most Villa attacks, curled a low effort at goal on the hour, but not with enough power
to inconvenience Pope. The same could be said of Brady’s shot at the other end moments later, when Burnley made a rare second-half incursion into Villa territory.
When Jack Grealish, deployed more centrally than usual but as enterprising as ever, glided through midfield in the 66th minute and slipped through a delicate invitation to El Ghazi to score, yet another weak shot ensued, much to Pope’s relief. El Ghazi created a chance for himself to make amends in the 75th minute but boomed a shot wide from 20 yards after a splendid burst from midfield.
The element of surprise nearly did for Burnley when John McGinn caught them out with a quickly-taken freekick in midfield but James Tarkowski rushed to the visitors’ rescue again, hurling himself in front of Traoré’s shot.
Villa attacked until the end but could not find the perfect finish, Tyrone Mings heading wide from eight yards before Grealish blasted over the bar after another classy run from deep.