Express & Star

Aston Villa 1 Sheffield Wednesday 2 - Report

Steven Fletcher headed the winner as Sheffield Wednesday inflicted a first home defeat of the season on Villa.

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The former Wolves striker converted Joey Pelupessy’s cross in the 67th minute to ruin Steve Bruce’s 100th game in charge of the hosts.

Marco Matias had earlier fired the visitors in front from the edge of the box, four minutes into the second half.

John McGinn levelled for Villa with a spectacular volley but it was Wednesday who then found the winner.

Analysis

This was just Villa’s sixth home league defeat since relegation from the Premier League in 2016 and Wednesday have inflicted two of them, after also claiming victory by the same scoreline last season.

For Bruce, it is now a case of back to square one, after Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Rotherham had temporarily lifted the pressure.

Now it is very much back on ahead of next Friday’s testing trip to Bristol City.

After a dire first-half, Villa showed glimpses of the attacking force they can be in the second period, with McGinn opening his account for the club with one of the finest goals seen at Villa Park for many a year.

But the hosts were ultimately undone by the defensive vulnerability which has been evident for most of the season so far.

Fletcher had already missed two good chances before finding the net. Once Wednesday had got their noses back in front, they saw the game out with relative ease.

For Villa, this was very much an opportunity missed on a day a victory would have moved them to within two points of leaders Leeds.

Wednesday had taken the lead after just 19 seconds in last season’s fixture and they threatened to make an early breakthrough again.

Fletcher twice went close, first drilling a shot just over the bar in the opening minute after Adam Reach had escaped the attentions of Alan Hutton down the right.

Fletcher then sent an overhead kick a yard or so wide of the post as Villa struggled to clear their lines.

The hosts were struggling to make much headway and their sloppiness in possession made them vulnerable on the counter. James Chester picked up an early yellow card for bringing down Matt Penney when the wing-back was threatening to run through on goal.

With Jonathan Kodjia and Tammy Abraham struggling to make any impact, Villa were limited to speculative efforts from Jack Grealish and Conor Hourihane, both of which flew wide of the target.

Bruce made a tactical tweak at the break, with Grealish moving into a more central role and Kodjia replacing him on the left wing.

But just four minutes into the half it was Wednesday who broke the deadlock.

Chester was guilty of giving the ball away to set up a counter attack and though Reach’s shot was blocked, the Wednesday man was able to get a toe on the ball to deflect it into the path of Matias, who drove a low shot into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box.

Villa, however, looked far more confident in their new shape and within four minutes were level thanks to McGinn’s thunderbolt.

Ahmed Elmohamady’s cross was cleared only as far as the Scot who, from 25 yards out, sent a swerving volley in off the bar.

Villa had their tails up and would have taken the lead but for the intervention of Daniel Pudil, who cleared Hourihane’s goalbound shot off the line.

But while the hosts were more threatening in attack, they also appeared more vulnerable at the back.

Nyland had already been forced to save from both Fletcher and Matias before the former restored the visitors advantage midway through the half.

Joey Pelupessy cross from the right and Fletcher, who just moments before had headed wide when well placed, this time made no mistake to beat Nyland from six yards out.

Bruce introduced both Anwar El Ghazi and Yannick Bolasie off the bench and the latter almost set up Hourihane for an equaliser but the Republic of Ireland international lifted his finish over the bar.

Key Moments

49 - GOAL - Marco Matias puts Wednesday in front, drilling home from the edge of the box.

53 - GOAL - John McGinn brings Villa level with a stunning left-footed volley.

67 - GOAL - Steven Fletcher heads Wednesday back in front from six yards out.

Teams

Villa (4-4-2): Nyland, Elmohamady, Chester, Jedinak, Hutton, Adomah (Bolasie 68), McGinn, Hourihane, Grealish, Kodjia (El Ghazi 77), Abraham Subs not used: Bree, Tuanzebe, Bjarnason, Whelan, Bunn (gk).

Sheff W (3-5-2): Dawson; Lees, Hector, Pudil, Baker, Bannan, Pelupessy, Reach, Penney, Matias (Joao 83), Fletcher (Nuhiu 78) Subs not used: Onomah, Kirby, Preston, Fox, Wildsmith (gk).