Premier League hits and misses: Aston Villa on the charge as January signings steal the show

January signings delivering for Villa

In the race for Europe, it was Aston Villa who had the clinical edge over Brighton at the Amex Stadium, with three second-half goals enough to secure the points. And the goalscorers will especially leave Unai Emery a happy man.

With the Villains fighting on multiple fronts, they invested heavily in firepower during the January transfer window. Donyell Malen, Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio all arrived on loan and they were all key to victory on Wednesday night.

Rashford kept his place as the central striker following his FA Cup double against Preston, and he proved his manager right by capping off an incisive breakaway to find the opening goal. As Brighton probed for an equaliser, Emery turned to his bench and sent Asensio and Malen on to help be more clinical on the counter-attack.

It was an inspired choice. Asensio smartly finished for his eighth goal in his last seven appearances for Villa, which is more than any Premier League player since he arrived in England. Malen was then on hand to wrap the game up deep into stoppage time for his first in Villa colours.

The fact that Ollie Watkins, the man who is usually at centre of all things goals at Villa Park, barely did anything of note, should actually be incredibly reassuring ahead of a busy period. With so many games to navigate, squad depth is crucial.

Villa have made shrewd decisions in the market and the impact they have had and should continue to have, may be the difference between Emery’s side achieving their goals come season’s end.
Callum Bishop

We may have that relegation battle after all…

On Wednesday, the Everest-length gap between Ipswich and Wolves was 12 points. Come the end of the week, Ipswich may be halfway up that mountain.

We may just have a relegation battle after all. Ipswich’s first win of this calendar year could not have been better timed, given it sets them up to host Wolves at Portman Road in just a few days’ time.

Ipswich showed they are not going down without a fight. Their defensive display was monstrous at Bournemouth. Centre-backs Dara O’Shea and Cameron Burgess had 25 clearances between them – two thirds were with their head. Bournemouth’s crosses were sharp, but they were met by a wall.

And maybe Ipswich do have enough goals in them to make this a relegation fight. They scored from both their shots on target from Nathan Broadhead and Liam Delap – but Julio Enciso’s superb performance was a highlight. And they still have Omari Hutchinson to return as well.

Wolves may have considered themselves home and dry on Tuesday night. But this Ipswich display has made them sit up a bit.
Sam Blitz

Grealish gets goal his perseverance deserves

Jack Grealish paid a touching tribute to his late brother on the 25th anniversary of his death after scoring an invaluable opener in Manchester City’s latest win over Leicester. The wait for a goal – 16 months – had been agonisingly long but the sentiment of the moment felt fitting for a player who always wears his heart on his sleeve.

“He’s an incredible human being,” Pep Guardiola reflected afterwards. Safe to say Grealish has endured rather than enjoyed this season. Perhaps much like Manchester City. This has not been a campaign laden with triumph and celebration like the four title-winning years before it.

But it has been one of perseverance and in many ways that encapsulates Grealish. The forward lost more duels (eight) than any other player on the pitch but was City’s second most creative force behind Omar Marmoush. He scored after just 109 seconds.

Grealish the playmaker has threatened a return and that will please Guardiola no end as he tries to manage the absence of the stricken Erling Haaland.
Laura Hunter

Jota and Jones step up for Liverpool in battle

It was not a pretty Merseyside derby, they seldom are, but it was a satisfying one for Arne Slot as his Liverpool side put those cup defeats behind them to show their resolve and take a big step towards regaining the Premier League title this season.

Refereeing decisions dominated. James Tarkowski should have been sent off for his foul on Alexis Mac Allister. David Moyes felt Liverpool’s goal should have been disallowed. The laws of the game say differently but even Slot agreed that those laws are wrong.

And yet, in reflecting on another Liverpool win – a century of them now against Everton, this one moving them 12 points clear of Arsenal at the top – it was a night in which players stepped up. Not Mohamed Salah this time but Diogo Jota and Curtis Jones.

Jota ended a run of 11 without a goal and it was an impressive way to do it, showing the necessary composure to pick his way through that dogged Everton defence. Jones did his job defensively, playing out of position at right-back, and contributed in attack too.

It was reward for Slot going with the more adventurous option. He could have picked Jarell Quansah given Everton’s aerial threat. “He would have helped us with set-pieces.” But this was the right call. “It was a risk but I knew he could help with his creativity.”

Slot added: “He did very well defensively also, so a strong performance from him, like from the whole team.” Liverpool’s season will have not have the dramatic conclusion they craved. But it will end with the title – thanks to games like this and players like this.
Adam Bate

Tonali’s moment of genius clinches vital Newcastle win

Sandro Tonali was only a few yards from the corner flag, in a position in which few players would even contemplate shooting, when he unleashed the extraordinary strike which thundered past Mark Flekken to seal Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Brentford.

Tonali said it was “70 per cent a cross” after the game. “It was difficult for the goalkeeper and difficult also for me,” he added. But we’ll choose to focus on the other 30 per cent. There was surely too much power behind the effort for this to go down as a mere cross gone wrong.

Regardless of Tonali’s post-match comments, the strike becomes an instant goal of the season contender and gives Newcastle fans yet another reason to cherish the midfielder. Outstanding at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool, this was another all-action display, capped by a moment of outlandish genius – even if he tried to play it down.
Nick Wright

Franca finally gets up and running for Palace

It has not been plain sailing for Matheus Franca since his move to Palace from Flamengo, in his native Brazil, for a fee that could reportedly rise to £26m.

He was signed in August 2023 as the replacement for Wilfried Zaha, but has barely had the chance to even think about stepping into the shoes of the club legend.

The 21-year-old was restricted to just one Premier League start in 2023/24, which was curtailed prematurely in March due to injury. A fractured rib and a groin issue meant it was just over a year until he so much as featured in a league matchday squad again, which he did when he appeared on the bench for the Ipswich game last month.

But after a series of FA Cup cameos, he was finally deemed ready for the trip to St Mary’s – and he will have felt an incredible weight lift from his shoulders when his header hit the net to earn a point for the Eagles. It was his first goal in English football.

As he and his team-mates applauded the travelling fans, he was reluctantly pushed out on his own to receive a deserved ovation. They and he will be hoping this spurs him on to live up to his potential.
Dan Long

No Kluivert, no party

Bournemouth slumped to a fourth straight home defeat in a performance that lacked inspiration.

Andoni Iraola was forced to name a starting XI without their leading marksman, Justin Kluivert with 12 goals.

Alex Scott assumed the absent Dutchman’s position and despite showing glimpses of promise, Bournemouth lacked a cutting edge.

For all of Bournemouth’s dominance in possession and 24 shots, the Cherries’ 1.95 xG reflected their woeful form in front of goal on the night. Luckily, Bournemouth don’t expect to be without Kluivert for long as Iraola hinted he was in contention for involvement against Ipswich before he was left out of the squad.

They will be hopeful of his return when they travel to West Ham this weekend as Bournemouth look to avoid what could become an underwhelming season on the south coast that began with excitement.

After crashing out of the FA Cup last weekend and a run of one win in seven, Bournemouth stay rooted in 10th, still looking up but with opportunity dwindling.
William Bitibiri

Brighton boos increase pressure on Hurzeler

Boos rained down at the Amex as Stuart Attwell’s full-time whistle condemned Brighton to a sobering 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa. But Fabian Hurzeler seemed confused by the reaction of his supporters.

“I don’t know for who the boos were,” the Seagulls boss admitted in his post-match press conference before insinuating it may have been directed at the officials. Considering the only questionable decision they made was in favour of the hosts, it seems more likely that the disappointment was aimed at Hurzeler’s players.

The defeat caps off what has been a heartbreaking few days on the south coast. The penalty shoot-out defeat to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup prevented them from pushing for their first major trophy. To follow that up with a defeat that sees them fall behind their opponents to eighth in the Premier League table was hardly bound to cheer anyone up.

With eight games to go, it is now or never for Brighton’s European hopes. They are far from out of the race – just four points separates them from Manchester City in the Champions League prices.

However, when they visit Selhurst Park on Saturday, it is imperative they find a clinical edge, as keeping hold of the ball in dangerous areas means nothing if you don’t fashion clear-cut opportunities. That will be the only way to appease the disgruntled Brighton faithful.
Callum Bishop

Late heartbreak symptomatic of Saints’ season

For so long, it seemed as though Southampton would end a run of exactly five months without a league win.

While Palace looked off-colour, they seemed refreshed after the international break and, most importantly, a threat going forward – there have not been many occasions where that has been true this season.

Regardless, conceding late on always seemed to be on the cards. In that respect, it was somewhat reminiscent of the 3-2 defeat to Leicester in October, when they were 2-0 up after an hour before eventually losing 3-2.

Of course, a 1-1 draw with an Eagles side that had won 10 of their last 13 games in all competitions is respectable. But it could have been so much more had Saints had the killer instinct to put away just one more of the chances they created.

And so the numbers have worsened. They have now dropped 25 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season – the most of any side.

But not only that, the 10 points they have taken from their 30 Premier League games this season is the joint-lowest tally of any side at this stage of a single campaign in the competition (Sunderland in 2005/06 and Derby County in 2007/08, both also 10 points).

May 25 can’t come soon enough for them.
Dan Long

Leicester have given up

Leicester posted an expected goals tally of 0.02 in the defeat at Manchester City. An extraordinary achievement.

It’s the lowest by any top-flight team all season – beating Newcastle’s 0.04 against Crystal Palace. Yes, this is Manchester City but it’s not the Manchester City of old. They are vulnerable if teams are willing to run, compete and play with tempo. What Leicester showed was pathetic.

Ruud van Nistelrooy must be up there with one of the worst managers to ever to have graced the Premier League based on the evidence now. Leicester have lost 15 of their last 17 games in all competitions and are on a run of seven successive Premier League defeats without scoring. That’s the first time that’s happened in the history of the football club.

On the showing they have given up for the season. It’s so bleak.
Lewis Jones