Leeds rally after Jacob’s crackers
Gerrard tips Ramsey for England after Villa thriller
THESE are the games that remind us why the Premier League remains the greatest show in town. it was a match that had everything. Magical moments from Philippe Coutinho, thrilling goals from Aston Villa’s new homegrown hero Jacob Ramsey, and the daring, devilish attacking football of Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds, who could not play cautious football if they tried.
There was even a late red card for Villa defender Ezri Konsa, who collected a second booking for blocking illan Meslier with an elbow as the goalkeeper tried to release the ball.
Villa boss Steven Gerrard was so impressed by 20-year-old Ramsey’s display that he backed him for England honours. ‘He will be a terrific player,’ said Gerrard. ‘it won’t be long before the whole country is watching. i know the level of the England players and i know it’s only a matter of time — but let’s all be sensible.
‘it was also vintage Philippe Coutinho tonight. if you don’t love watching that you should stop watching football. Some of the stuff he did was absolutely beautiful. Defensively we have to improve but it was a wonderful game — just not for me!’
Among the flashes of genius there were examples of these teams’ flaws. Some of the set-piece marking was awful, the defending ragged, the decision-making wild. But who cares? in the end, this sport is about entertainment, and how these players entertained us on a fabulous evening.
Villa’s new deadly duo of Coutinho and Ramsey looked to have fired them to victory when they scored three times — one for Coutinho, two for Ramsey — in 14 first-half minutes to put their team in control after Daniel James had given Leeds an early lead.
Yet Leeds never gave up and James, who also hit the bar just before Coutinho’s equaliser, dragged them back into the game in stoppage time, before Diego Llorente levelled just after the hour mark.
Neither side had played since January 22 after being knocked out of the FA Cup and both looked eager to return to action in a rapid start. Meslier saved Tyrone Mings’ header from Douglas Luiz’s corner in the second minute during a dominant opening for Villa — only for Leeds to take a ninth-minute lead.
Mings was robbed just outside the box by Rodrigo, whose ball to James gave the Welshman the perfect angle to beat Emiliano Martinez with a low drive.
Leeds were motoring now and James could have teed up Mateusz
Klich for a tap-in rather than try to shoot himself from a difficult spot. His team should have been punished by Mings but the England defender headed Lucas Digne’s corner wide.
Then it was James’s turn to come close again with a fierce strike from 20 yards that hit the bar. it was a let-off for Villa, who equalised within a minute.
Matty Cash exchanged passes with Emiliano Buendia and crossed for Coutinho, who had drifted cleverly into space. He controlled with his first touch and beat Meslier with his second.
Coutinho then helped Villa seize the lead seven minutes before halftime. His spin away from Luke Ayling and pass were matched only by the run from midfield of Ramsey, who held off Klich and fired past Meslier from 12 yards.
The pair combined again for Villa’s third. Referee Jarred Gillett played advantage after Digne and Luiz were fouled; when the ball reached Coutinho he spotted Ramsey in space and this finish
was even more impressive, a rising drive that hit the roof of the net.
‘Leeds are falling apart again,’ roared the home supporters, only for Bielsa’s men to bring another twist in stoppage time. Klich’s backheel released Jack Harrison and his deflected cross was somehow headed in by the 5ft 7in James, squeezing between Mings and Buendia at the far post. Soon after the break, Raphinha was robbed by Digne and Ollie Watkins was so close to turning in the low cross. Moments later, Meslier was in the right place to stop Stuart Dallas scoring an own-goal with a mis-hit clearance.
Mings made up for earlier mistakes when he kept Villa in front by clearing Pascal Struijk’s header from Dallas’ corner on the line. Yet when Leeds won another corner, James’s cross looped off John McGinn and though Mings blocked another Struijk header, this time Llorente was there to smash in the loose ball.
‘There were moments of dominance and good football from both teams,’ said Bielsa. ‘On the balance of the second half, we could have had more than a point.’
Leeds sensed a winner. Rodrigo played a glorious reverse pass to Klich yet the finish was tame.
With Buendia already off with a knock, Villa could ill afford to lose another creative player and held their breaths when Coutinho needed treatment after curling just wide from 20 yards.
Then came Konsa’s elbow on Meslier and red card, but it did not alter the result of a game neither side deserved to lose. ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): Martinez 5.5; Cash 6, Konsa 5.5, Mings 5, Digne 7; McGinn 6, Luiz 6.5, RAMSEY 8 (Chambers 89min); Buendia 7 (Chukwuemeka 59, 6), Watkins 6, Coutinho 7.5 (Young 78). Scorers: Coutinho 30, Ramsey 38, 43. Booked: Cash. Sent off: Konsa. Manager: Steven Gerrard 6.5. LEEDS (4-1-4-1): Meslier 6; Ayling 6.5, Llorente 6.5, Struijk 6, Dallas 6; Koch 6; Raphinha 6, Klich 6.5 (Forshaw 85), Rodrigo 7.5, Harrison 7; James 7. Scorers: James 9, 45+2, Llorente 63. Booked: Dallas, James, Rodrigo. Manager: Marcelo Bielsa 6.5. Referee: Jarred Gillett 6. Att: 41,927.
HOW DID 5ft 7in JAMES BEAT 6ft 5in MINGS TO THIS HEADER? Giant leap: James outjumps Mings to make it 3-2