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Derby 2 Aston Villa 0 - Report and pictures

Andreas Weimann returned to haunt Villa as they fell to defeat at Derby.

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The Villa academy product, who joined the Rams for £2.5million in 2015, scored after an horrendous error by Glenn Whelan to put the the hosts ahead at Pride Park.

Robert Snodgrass almost levelled for Villa early in the second half but saw his effort blocked on the line by Derby skipper Richard Keogh.

Substitute Johnny Russell then sealed victory for the hosts in stoppage time when he raced clear to score.

Analysis

Russell’s goal came at the end of a half in which, for the most part, Villa had been on top without finding a way through the home side’s defences.

Snodgrass’s effort was the closest they came and in truth their final ball left much to be desired for most of the game.

Boss Steve Bruce was not helped by the absence of teenage striker Keinan Davis and the injury crisis at Villa led to him fielding a team which featured a midfielder in both attack and defence.

But there could be no accounting for the error which allowed the hosts to get in front just past the midway point of the first-half.

Whelan was guilty of playing his intended backpass straight to Matej Vydra, who crossed for Weimann to score.

Villa were much improved after the break but lacked a focal presence up front and the belated introductions of both Scott Hogan and Gabriel Agbonlahor from the bench did little to help.

Defeat sees them remain fifth in the table, though the fourth-placed Rams now hold a four-point advantage.

Now three games without as win, there is no hiding the fact that, in recent weeks, Villa have lost momentum and there is a risk the gap between them and the top two could soon become insurmountable.

In the week centre-back Chris Samba was ruled out for a month because a hamstring problem, Bruce’s injury woes deepened further with teenage striker Keinan Davis missing at Pride Park.

Both Agbonlahor and Hogan were fit enough to make the bench but Bruce instead opted to field a starting XI without a recognised striker.

That meant Josh Onomah took up forward duties with Jack Grealish, handed his first start of the season, playing in the No.10 role.

Ahmed Elmohamady replaced Alan Hutton, who was fit enough to be named on the bench, at right-back, while Conor Hourihane was restored to the starting line-up in place of Henri Lansbury.

The final change saw Mile Jedinak make his third start of the season alongside James Chester in the heart of defence.

It was another defender, Neil Taylor, who intervened brilliantly to prevent Villa falling behind after just 34 seconds.

David Nugent looked certain to open the scoring when Vydra’s through ball sent him clean through on goal but Taylor, coming in from the left, dived in at the last to deflect the shot behind for a corner.

Nugent hooked over from close range soon after and then saw a header tipped over by Villa keeper Sam Johnstone as the hosts made most of the running in the early stages.

Villa’s best moments involved Grealish. The playmaker provided Onomah with an early chance which the makeshift striker failed to take when he slipped on the edge of the box.

Grealish then saw a shot from distance deflected over but was guilty of dallying for too long the ball when he could have taken a strike at goal, or squared to Onomah.

There was no question Villa had firmly found their feet by the time Whelan’s error, and Derby’s opener, sent them spiralling.

The midfielder simply never saw Vydra lurking ten yards behind the backline as he tried to play a back pass to Johnstone and succeeded in feeding the Derby man on the edge of the box.

From then on it was straightforward for Vydra, who drew Johnstone off his line before squaring to Weimann to sidefoot home.

Visibly rattled, Villa struggled to do the simple things for the next few minutes and their situation could have worsened had Weimann found Nugent with a through ball, after Snodgrass had been guilty of losing the ball.

Villa began to find their rhythm again as half-time approached but did not manage their first attempt on target until stoppage time, when Conor Hourihane fired straight at Scott Carson from the edge of the box.

The visitors also saw plenty of possession at the start of the second half and within five minutes of the restart were almost back level.

Albert Adomah’s cross was met by Snodgrass, racing in at the far post. The Scot’s scuffed finish was enough to beat Carson but not Derby skipper Keogh, whose block rebounded into the keeper’s grateful arms.

Bruce introduced Hogan as Villa searched for a way back into the game and the striker sent a difficult chance off target from an Adomah cross.

The visitors had Johnstone to thank, however, for keeping the deficit as one as the game moved into the final 20 minutes, the keeper acrobatically tipping Bradley Johnson’s header over the bar.

Hogan sent a header wide of the far post as Villa pressed and Bruce brought on Agbonlahor for the 31-year-old’s first appearance since September.

But there was no way through and Russell made sure of a home victory when he latched onto fellow substitute Chris Martin’s through ball to score.

Russell almost further heaped the misery on Villa before the final whistle but Johnstone saved with his legs.

Key Moments

1 Almost a nightmare start for Villa as Matej Vydra sends David Nugent through on goal. Neil Taylor’s brilliant diving challenge deflects the striker’s shot wide.

24 GOAL Villa behind as Glenn Whelan makes a huge error. The midfielder only finds Derby’s Matej Vydra with an attempted backpass and he squares for Andreas Weimann to fire home.

50 Almost a leveller for Villa. Robert Snodgrass’s effort beats keeper Scott Carson but not Derby skipper Richard Keogh, who clears off the line.

90 GOAL It’s all over as substitute Johnny Russell races clear to score and seal victory for the Rams.

Teams

Derby (4-2-3-1): Carson, Baird, Keogh (c), Davies, Forsyth, Ledley, Huddlestone, Weimann (Russell 57), Vydra (Thorne 86), Johnson, Nugent (Martin 71) Subs not used: Wisdom, Pearce, Winnall, Mitchell (gk).

Villa (4-4-1-1): Johnstone, Elmohamady, Chester, Jedinak, Taylor, Snodgrass, Whelan (Hogan 65), Hourihane, Adomah, Grealish, Onomah (Agbonlahor 83) Subs not used: De Laet, Bjarnason, Hutton, Elphick, Steer (gk).