• ASTON VILLA RATINGS: Pepe Reina - 7: Important stops from Benteke just before the break and Van Aanholt after. AFP
    ASTON VILLA RATINGS: Pepe Reina - 7: Important stops from Benteke just before the break and Van Aanholt after. AFP
  • Ahmed El Mohamady: 7: A late replacement for Hause who picked up an injury in the warm-up. Supplied some lovely crosses from the right in the first half that Samatta and Grealish failed to convert. Getty
    Ahmed El Mohamady: 7: A late replacement for Hause who picked up an injury in the warm-up. Supplied some lovely crosses from the right in the first half that Samatta and Grealish failed to convert. Getty
  • Ezri Konsa - 7: Good performance at centre-half after reshuffle due to Hause injury. Benteke might not be prolific in front of goal nowadays but is still a tricky opponent that Konsa outplayed. Getty
    Ezri Konsa - 7: Good performance at centre-half after reshuffle due to Hause injury. Benteke might not be prolific in front of goal nowadays but is still a tricky opponent that Konsa outplayed. Getty
  • Tyrone Mings - 7: Did well alongside Konsa against a Palace attack full of pace and skill. Getty
    Tyrone Mings - 7: Did well alongside Konsa against a Palace attack full of pace and skill. Getty
  • John McGinn - 6: Scottish midfielder yet to find his top form. Getty
    John McGinn - 6: Scottish midfielder yet to find his top form. Getty
  • Neil Taylor - 6: Left-back picked up an injury early in the match. Taken off after 37 minutes. Getty
    Neil Taylor - 6: Left-back picked up an injury early in the match. Taken off after 37 minutes. Getty
  • Conor Hourihane - 7: His dead-balls into the opposition box had been woeful right up until first-half injury-time when his cross supplied the opening goal. Forced good stop out of Guaita with second-half free-kick. Getty
    Conor Hourihane - 7: His dead-balls into the opposition box had been woeful right up until first-half injury-time when his cross supplied the opening goal. Forced good stop out of Guaita with second-half free-kick. Getty
  • Jack Grealish - 6: Continues to frustrate. Certainly covers some ground, looks quality on the ball, some clever touches and passes but end product lacking in key areas. Theatrical fall to the ground in second half had earned Villa a penalty only for VAR to reverse the decision. Reuters
    Jack Grealish - 6: Continues to frustrate. Certainly covers some ground, looks quality on the ball, some clever touches and passes but end product lacking in key areas. Theatrical fall to the ground in second half had earned Villa a penalty only for VAR to reverse the decision. Reuters
  • Douglas Luiz - 7: Will have been relieved that Sakho's goal was disallowed as the defender appeared to be Luiz's man. A better show from the Brazilian after looking a frustrated figure at times lately. Getty
    Douglas Luiz - 7: Will have been relieved that Sakho's goal was disallowed as the defender appeared to be Luiz's man. A better show from the Brazilian after looking a frustrated figure at times lately. Getty
  • Trezeguet - 8: Good finish at back post to put Villa in front, showed some composure to toe-poke home the second. Absolutely vital goals from the Egyptian that keep alive Villa's survival hopes. AFP
    Trezeguet - 8: Good finish at back post to put Villa in front, showed some composure to toe-poke home the second. Absolutely vital goals from the Egyptian that keep alive Villa's survival hopes. AFP
  • Mbwana Samatta - 5: Striker who was prolific in Belgium last season has yet to suggest he will replicate it in England. Handed gilt-edged chance to put Villa in front in first half but could only head over. Getty
    Mbwana Samatta - 5: Striker who was prolific in Belgium last season has yet to suggest he will replicate it in England. Handed gilt-edged chance to put Villa in front in first half but could only head over. Getty
  • SUBS: Matt Targett - (On for Taylor 37') 7: Slotted in well down the left. Getty
    SUBS: Matt Targett - (On for Taylor 37') 7: Slotted in well down the left. Getty
  • Keinan Davis - (On for Samatta 80') NA: Missed chance to make it 3-0. Getty
    Keinan Davis - (On for Samatta 80') NA: Missed chance to make it 3-0. Getty
  • Marvelous Nakamba - (On for Hourihane 80') NA: Getty
    Marvelous Nakamba - (On for Hourihane 80') NA: Getty
  • Anwar El Ghazi - (On for Trezeguet 88') NA. AFP
    Anwar El Ghazi - (On for Trezeguet 88') NA. AFP
  • PALACE RATINGS: Vicente Guaita 7: Several excellent stops in second half from Hourihane and Konsa. Spanish goalkeeper kept the score respectable for Palace. AFP
    PALACE RATINGS: Vicente Guaita 7: Several excellent stops in second half from Hourihane and Konsa. Spanish goalkeeper kept the score respectable for Palace. AFP
  • Joel Ward - 6: Solid down the right for Palace. PA
    Joel Ward - 6: Solid down the right for Palace. PA
  • Mamadou Sakho - 6: Very unlucky to see first-half goal disallowed for handball by VAR despite ball appearing to hit top of shoulder. Reuters
    Mamadou Sakho - 6: Very unlucky to see first-half goal disallowed for handball by VAR despite ball appearing to hit top of shoulder. Reuters
  • Scott Dann - 7: Battled hard and was given little problem by Villa striker Samatta. Had chance to score in second half but was denied by teammate Benteke. AFP
    Scott Dann - 7: Battled hard and was given little problem by Villa striker Samatta. Had chance to score in second half but was denied by teammate Benteke. AFP
  • Patrick van Aanholt - 6: Saw penalty decision going against him for alleged foul on Grealish rightly overturned by VAR. Clean through in second half only for Reina to block well. Getty
    Patrick van Aanholt - 6: Saw penalty decision going against him for alleged foul on Grealish rightly overturned by VAR. Clean through in second half only for Reina to block well. Getty
  • Luka Milivojevic - 5: Not the captain's day. Sloppy distribution and temper threatened to boil over with Grealish in second half. AFP
    Luka Milivojevic - 5: Not the captain's day. Sloppy distribution and temper threatened to boil over with Grealish in second half. AFP
  • James McArthur 5: Midfielder had little influence on game. Taken off at half-time due to thigh injury. AFP
    James McArthur 5: Midfielder had little influence on game. Taken off at half-time due to thigh injury. AFP
  • Cheikhou Kouyate - 6: Quiet game from the Senegal midfielder. Getty
    Cheikhou Kouyate - 6: Quiet game from the Senegal midfielder. Getty
  • Wilfried Zaha - 6: A couple of chances hit straight at Reina and showed his usual flashes of trickery and pace. Felt hard done by when booked for fracas with Mings. Tough day for the attacker who revealed before the game that he had been the target of racist abuse on social media. Getty
    Wilfried Zaha - 6: A couple of chances hit straight at Reina and showed his usual flashes of trickery and pace. Felt hard done by when booked for fracas with Mings. Tough day for the attacker who revealed before the game that he had been the target of racist abuse on social media. Getty
  • Jordan Ayew - 6: Some moments of skill but little threat on goal from the attacker. Getty
    Jordan Ayew - 6: Some moments of skill but little threat on goal from the attacker. Getty
  • Christian Benteke - 6: Forced double save out of Reina - the first being particularly good - in opening half. Headed second-half chance well over when teammate Dann was far better placed to finish. Shown red card after final whistle after tempers boiled over against his old club. Getty
    Christian Benteke - 6: Forced double save out of Reina - the first being particularly good - in opening half. Headed second-half chance well over when teammate Dann was far better placed to finish. Shown red card after final whistle after tempers boiled over against his old club. Getty
  • SUBS: James McCarthy - (On for McArthur 45') 5: Little impact as Villa dominated second half. Getty
    SUBS: James McCarthy - (On for McArthur 45') 5: Little impact as Villa dominated second half. Getty
  • Jairo Riedewald - (On for Kouyate 63') 6: Did OK after coming on. Reuters
    Jairo Riedewald - (On for Kouyate 63') 6: Did OK after coming on. Reuters
  • Andros Townsend - (On for J Ayew 63') 7: Showed some of his quality after coming on, with some dangerous crosses. Getty
    Andros Townsend - (On for J Ayew 63') 7: Showed some of his quality after coming on, with some dangerous crosses. Getty
  • Max Meyer - (On for Milivojevic 75') NA. PA
    Max Meyer - (On for Milivojevic 75') NA. PA

Football

Trezeguet 8, Pepe Reina 7; Christian Benteke 6: Aston Villa v Crystal Palace player ratings

Vital 2-0 victory keeps alive Villa hopes of Premier League survival

Gareth Cox

July 12, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Aston Villa boosted their bid for Premier League survival on Sunday with a vital 2-0 victory against Crystal Palace.

Dean Smith's side kicked off at Villa Park languishing seven points from safety, but Egypt winger Trezeguet scored twice to keep them in with a chance of avoiding relegation.

Villa's first win in 11 league games lifted them into 18th place, within four points of fourth-from-bottom Watford with three games left.

Second-bottom Bournemouth will go one point above Villa if they beat Leicester later on Sunday.

Villa face Everton, Arsenal and West Ham in their last three matches as they battle to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

Smith's men got an early stroke of luck when Palace defender Mamadou Sakho had a goal ruled out by VAR.

Conor Hourihane's free-kick from the left evaded everyone and Trezeguet came in at the back post to side-foot beyond Vicente Guaita in first-half injury time.

Villa got their crucial second goal in the 58th minute. Hourihane nodded the ball forward after John McGinn's cross was only half cleared and Trezeguet was on hand to slot home.

Palace striker Christian Benteke was sent off for violent conduct after the final whistle.

Aston Villa