HOME AND AWAY
Star missing Qatar but breaks Villa’s travel hoodoo
THERE were nine players heading to Qatar for the World Cup in action at the Amex yesterday.
But Aston Villa’s first away victory this season was secured by an ex-England striker staying at home.
Danny Ings won just three caps and netted his only international goal in his last appearance back in 2020.
But the striker showed his enduring class in a niggly match where two of the goals came from South American playmakers getting caught in possession plus a penalty from a careless challenge from one-cap wonder Lewis Dunk.
But Villa and Unai Emery, whose team have scored seven goals in his first three games, deserved the win which eased them up to 12th place.
Emery said: “I’m so proud of our players and how we worked. And I am proud of our supporters because they were really helping. Two big victories gives us confidence and six points. We are now looking up.
“The confidence is coming for each one from the results.”
Villa had been winless in all seven previous league away fixtures, managing only two points and three goals.
But Emery, who was without the ill Ollie Watkins, was pleased with Ings who he did not start in his opening league win over Manchester United.
He said: “I am trying to put each player in his best position. Ings is a striker who needs to be in between the centre-backs.”
Argentina had not wanted any of their World Cup stars playing in this final round of Premier League matches and Villa keeper Emi Martinez’s shaky performance perhaps showed why.
His poor pass to Douglas Luiz saw Alexis Mac Allister bundle the Brazilian out of the way and fire home Brighton’s quickestever Premier League goal after 51 seconds.
Levi Colwill made a fine block on Ings on his top-flight
debut but the forward was not to be denied for long.
Dunk’s sliding tackle made contact with John McGinn and not the ball and the former Southampton star lashed home from the spot on 20 minutes.
Ings took his league tally this term to five in the 54th minute after Matty Cash’s cross was headed onto the far post by Emi Buendia.
Brighton recovered possession but, in a role reversal from the opening goal, Luiz robbed a dawdling Mac Allister and fed Ings. The No.9 stepped inside Dunk and his low shot deflected home off Colwill.