Anwar El Ghazi scores winner as commanding Aston Villa blunt Leeds
Leeds #Leeds
Dean Smith had sounded a little irritated at all the pre-match focus on the injured Jack Grealish. “We are not a one-man team,” the Aston Villa manager insisted, before his annoyance was forgotten and his players proved him correct with an accomplished away win at Leeds. Anwar El Ghazi’s early strike was sufficient to deliver a deserved win at Elland Road as Villa made light of their captain’s absence and stifled Leeds with a commanding, mature display.
The sight of the Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa pacing up and down his technical area furiously in the closing stages, barking instructions to his players that were not followed out, reflected both the subdued nature of Leeds’ evening and Villa’s success in nullifying their free-scoring hosts.
Leeds could have led after 26 seconds thanks to a miscued shot but trailed as a result of one – plus their own defensive failings – within the opening five minutes. Anwar El Ghazi and Patrick Bamford were heavily involved, as they were in the last acrimonious meeting between the teams at Elland Road, when Bielsa ordered his players to let Villa equalise following a controversial Leeds’ goal as they chased promotion in 2019.
Bamford created the first chance when, having been released by Tyler Roberts, he danced between two Villa defenders with ease only to slip when attempting to curl a shot into the far corner. The effort sailed across goal where the in-coming, unmarked Raphinha was unable to connect at the back post.
Villa were relatively untroubled in the first 30 minutes, however, and were given something to hold on to when El Ghazi swept them into an early lead. In keeping with his prominent first half performance, the Netherlands’ international took the corner that exposed a huge gap in the Leeds’ penalty area and capitalised on it with his seventh goal of the season.
El Ghazi drifted into the area after his set-piece ended up at the feet of Ollie Watkins on the far side. Watkins, like Bamford, lost his footing as he shot but succeeded in finding the unmarked El Ghazi in front of Illan Meslier’s goal.
The winger beat the Leeds’ keeper comfortably from close range but refused to celebrate due to a suspected offside. VAR confirmed he had been played on by Liam Cooper. The celebrations remained muted by El Ghazi, but sent off after his confrontation with Bamford here in 2019, no doubt he took added satisfaction from the verdict.
Emiliano Martinez denied Leeds a swift equaliser when he blocked a powerful shot from Roberts after Raphinha’s drive deflected into the forward’s path. But it was not until the closing 15 minutes of the first half that the hosts gained control of the contest. Meslier twice thwarted El Ghazi from distance as Villa looked to build on their advantage and kept Leeds at bay comfortably in the early stages.
The goalscorer was also inches away from finding the bottom corner with another long-range drive, seconds after switching wings with Bertrand Traore. Villa’s back-line impressed throughout while Marvelous Nakamba and John McGinn worked tirelessly in front of them in central midfield.
They needed to. Leeds’ finally found their rhythm, sharpness in their passing and, increasingly, the dangerous Raphinha midway through the first half to apply sustained pressure on the visitors. Smith’s side absorbed it well, and remained a potent threat on the counter attack.
Raphinha missed an excellent chance to puncture the Aston Villa defence in the final minute when, free at the back post for Jack Harrison’s cross, he steered his header into the ground and wastefully wide.