Aston Villa          1 (Abraham 88)​

Leeds United      1 (Stach 31)

​

21st February 2026.  EFL Premier League

43,048..

​

We’ve hardly put a foot wrong since that half time change at the Etihad at the back end of November. Certainly away from home, and at so many tough arenas, we’ve been superb, unbeaten away in that time apart from those unfortunate last few minutes at St. James’ Park – another time when we just couldn’t see the game out efficiently.

​

We’d all have gladly signed up to a point from today’s trip to Villa Park too, had it been offered before kick-off. But I have to confess I left Villa Park this afternoon with just a tinge of disappointment if not annoyance. Yet again, for the umpteenth time this season, we had three points in the bag, we’d defended stoically for almost an hour after taking a well-deserved lead, yet we gave it up at the death.

​

We could all feel it coming I’m sure, that slight panic we’ve seen so many times before this season as we got close to the winning line. Passes going astray, sitting too deep, making wrong decisions, giving up daft soft, needless fouls, and then getting done at a corner. Okay, there was a bit of bad luck too in the way Villa finally stole a point – a towering header by Konsa, out-jumping Joe Rodon at the back post, just happened to find the knee of Tammy Abraham sending the ball inches under the crossbar. But Leeds had plenty of chances to extend our lead earlier and then ought to have been able to see the game out. Yep, it was slightly disappointing, despite getting a point at the third best side in the division as it stands today.

​

Leeds were the better side in the first half and either side of Anton Stach’s wonderful free-kick we had other opportunities that just didn’t fall our way. Dominic Calvert Lewin doesn’t look as sharp these days as he did when he was in that hot streak a few weeks ago. He’s still a towering presence in the air all over the pitch but his touch in front of goal hasn’t been the same. Early in the game he was through one on one with Martinez but a heavy first touch let the ball get away and the keeper was able to stifle the shot. Ilia Gruev was then set up by DCL but his precise left-foot shot was agonisingly a few inches too high.

​

Villa were reduced to very few sights of goal – a weak long-range Ollie Watkins shot that Darlow easily gathered and then a close range ‘scoop’ by Onana that was brilliantly blocked by the faultless Karl Darlow.

​

In the second half, Villa were far more competitive but, until that late corner, we dealt with everything they could muster. We probably had the best opening of the second half too when LuKas Nmecha threw himself full length to head at goal. He was at full stretch, so it’s probably churlish to suggest he perhaps should have scored!

​

End of the day, we have to be content with another point on the road, and, as I say, one we’d have gladly taken if offered on a late at 3 pm. So far, the other results have been kind to us again with Burnley, West Ham and Bournemouth all only picking up a point themselves. With Spurs hosting Arsenal and Forest hosting Liverpool tomorrow let’s hope those go to form with no daft surprise results. If so, we are another game closer to our ultimate target this season. I read somewhere that only Manchester City and Manchester United have lost fewer games than Leeds since the start of December so we really should be celebrating that feat.

​