Another frustrating day as Aston Villa fell to a 2-0 defeat at fellow promotion chasers, Derby County. Glenn Whelan’s errant back pass lead to ex-Villa Andi Weimann’s opener for the home side. An improved second half didn’t manufacture an equaliser. Johnny Russell put the result beyond doubt in injury time as he beat Sam Johnstone.
Despite 67% of possession, Aston Villa’s lack of a striker is becoming more apparent. Outshooting Derby by 13 shots to 11, only two tested Derby keeper Scott Carson. In his post-match press conference, Steve Bruce was critical of the number of mistakes made by his team.
Much in the same way as the Sheffield Wednesday defeat, the rhythm of the game was set early. Although Derby didn’t capitalise, Aston Villa’s mindset was set. David Nugent posed problems for the defence which was missing a recognised centre-back.
The player grades for the game:
The next match is another promotion six-pointer when Sheffield United visit on December 23rd. All data provided by WhoScored match centre.