Ipswich Town vs Aston Villa. Premier League.
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Report and free highlights as Liam Delap scored twice to rescue a draw for Ipswich - their fourth in a row; Morgan Rogers netted his first Villa goal of the season; Ollie Watkins was also on target
Monday 30 September 2024 08:47, UK
Ipswich drew their fourth Premier League game in a row after coming from behind to rescue a valuable point in a dramatic 2-2 draw with Aston Villa.
The visitors, who had the chance to rise to second in the Premier League with a win, were pegged back early on when Liam Delap swept home Jack Clarke's low cross, beating Emi Martinez at his near post.
Villa's bounce back was impressive, though. Some messy defending gifted Morgan Rogers the chance to equalise, and he did so with aplomb, netting his first of the season after Jacob Greaves' hopeless clearance.
Ollie Watkins completed the turnaround - the league's most effective forward behind Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah during Unai Emery's time in charge - as he peeled off Axel Tuanzebe and Dara O'Shea to meet Leon Bailey's cross and plant a header beyond Arijanet Muric.
But there was a sting in the tail, with more than just a hint of bad luck. Sam Morsy, already on a booking, launched into a tackle on Jaden Philogene in the middle of the park and appeared to go over the top of the ball. Referee Stuart Attwell had a long think, before awarding a free-kick with no further punishment.
"Morsy was really lucky. It was definitely a second yellow," said Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp. Two minutes later, Ipswich were level.
Substitute Jack Taylor fed Omari Hutchinson after a Villa move broke down and he found Delap, who charged at Martinez, gave the goalkeeper the eyes, and buried a low strike in the far corner.
The sublime breakaway effort was almost repeated with nine minutes left when Clarke carried the ball and played through Burns, but Pau Torres made a goal-saving block.
Villa escaped, having registered fewer shots on target and a lower average xG than Ipswich. They host Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery:
"I think the result was fair and even we could lose the match at the end. I am not accepting the result, the point in my idea how I want to raise our level and our demands, but I accept it in our process.
"Overall we have 13 points, but we were optimistic about the possibility to be with Liverpool on 15 points.
"We can accept how difficult it is in this league to play against teams like Ipswich. After they are promoted, they are excited, they are motivated and they are playing with confidence.
"What do we want? We want to play in Europe. We want to play matches on Sunday and Wednesday. We want to try to get to the same level as other teams. We want it."
Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna:
"I thought it was a really good game. We're a team that is building and rebuilding, so to be as competitive as we were is a big, big positive. Another point, another game unbeaten and we move on."
Sky Sports' Laura Hunter:
Perhaps it's usual for a team playing in the most elite European competition for the first time since 1982-83 to have one eye on a midweek meeting with Bayern Munich. The problem with that, though, is you take your focus off the task at hand.
Villa had the chance to move level on points with Premier League leaders Liverpool on Super Sunday. But from the moment Liam Delap squirmed his eighth-minute strike beneath Emi Martinez, it became clear that Villa were in for an arduous afternoon at Portman Road.
And moments, or results, like this will prove costly if they creep into weekend displays where Champions League commitments may be interfering. Villa weren't really at the races, especially in the second half, generating just three shots and 0.15 worth of xG after the break. The caution was clear.
A positive will be gleaned from the continued form of Morgan Rogers, however, who netted his first goal of the season to level at 1-1. His physicality and ball carrying capability were missed when he was withdrawn in the 64th minute - presumably to protect him ahead of Wednesday.
Unai Emery now faces the biggest balancing act of his Villa career. "We are thinking only about the next match, which is Ipswich," he said at his pre-match press conference. His side's performance would suggest otherwise.
Sky Sports' Lewis Jones:
With England having to shoehorn centre-backs to play as left-backs, there is a huge argument developing that Ipswich's creative force in Leif Davis should be in the conversation for a call-up. Luke Shaw can't get fit. Ben Chilwell can't get a game. On current form there isn't a better English left-back playing in the Premier League.
Davis was full of guile as Ipswich properly announced themselves at the Premier League party in a performance full of fight, verve and quality. Most of that quality came down the left flank where Davis was operating.
He created a whopping seven chances for his team-mates. Only Bukayo Saka against Leicester on Saturday has created more in a single game this season. On another day, Davis could have walked away with a hat-trick of assists.
His pass to send Liam Delap through on goal in the first-half was bordering on world-class as he showed yet again that his left-foot is a wand. And is something the national team should be checking out.
