Leeds 0 Aston Villa 1 - Report

The winger fired home from the close range in the fifth minute, after Ollie Watkins’ miscued shot had fallen perfectly into his path.

El Ghazi twice tested Leeds goalkeeper Illan Meslier in the first-half while sending another effort wide.

Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez saved from Tyler Roberts but was otherwise not seriously tested as he kept a 13th clean sheet of the season.

Analysis

This was also the third straight shutout Villa have recorded away from home and one of Martinez’s easier nights.

Leeds had more than two-thirds possession over the 90 minutes but struggled to make much of an impression, particularly during a second half in which both ends were thin on the ground.

Neither team were helped by Elland Road’s recently relaid pitch, which cut up considerably and played a part in the goal.

Watkins was clearly aiming to shoot from the corner of the box but slipped and ended up delivering the perfect pass to El Ghazi.

Victory ended a two-match winless run for Villa, who remain eighth in the table but are just a point behind sixth-placed Liverpool, with a game in hand.

Most significantly of all, this was the first Premier League match they have won since winning promotion without Jack Grealish.

With the skipper still out with a shin injury, Dean Smith made two changes to his line-up, both in a bid to freshen up his midfield.

Out went Ross Barkley and Douglas Luiz, in came Marvelous Nakamba and Jacob Ramsey, the latter making just his second career Premier League start.

Villa’s start could hardly have been better but their emotions would have been different had Raphina, diving in at the far post, been able to connect with Patrick Bamford’s miscued shot inside the opening minute.

El Ghazi’s goal was almost a carbon copy, except this time fortune went in favour of the attacking side. Watkins was attempting to shoot but instead sliced the ball straight into the path of his team-mate. The unintended nature of the set-up probably explained El Ghazi’s less than perfect first touch, yet the winger had enough composure to recover and send the second under the advancing Meslier.

It was the winger’s sixth Premier League goal of the season and he looked in the mood to add more, forcing Meslier to tip a rising drive from the edge of the box over the bar.

The Leeds keeper was also sent scrambling to save an El Ghazi effort which looked destined for the bottom corner, before the winger thumped another effort wide of the post after a neat exchange with Watkins.

Leeds were doing plenty of attacking themselves and Roberts had a good chance to equalise when a blocked Raphinha shot fell nicely into his path. But he hit the shot too close to Martinez and otherwise the Villa keeper was not seriously troubled prior to the break.

Both Roberts and Stuart Dallas hit efforts wide of the target but despite having less than a third of possession, Villa were able to keep the hosts at arms length.

The pattern continued in the second period, with Leeds seeing plenty of the ball but finding it tough to break Villa’s lines.

Things were getting scrappy and that suited Villa. Both Matt Targett and Tyler Roberts were booked following an altercation, while Mateusz Klich was also shown a yellow card for tripping El Ghazi.

The latter then sent in a free-kick which saw Tyrone Mings’ header deflected over the bar, a rare attempt on goal at either end.

It wasn’t until the 74th minute Leeds had a shot of note, substitute Pablo Hernandez seeing a first-time effort deflected wide.

They finally carved out a good chance a minute from time when Jack Harrison crossed for Raphinha but the latter got his header all wrong, sending it well wide of the target.

Key Moments

5- GOAL Anwar El Ghazi gives Villa the perfect start, slotting home his sixth Premier League goal of the season after Ollie Watkins miscues a shot right into his path.

Teams

Leeds (3-3-3-1): Meslier, Llorente, Cooper, Struijk (Alioski 53), Ayling, Klich, Dallas, Costa (Harrison 64), Roberts (Hernandez 71), Rafinha, Bamford Subs not used: Davis, Gelhardt, Cresswell, Jenkins, Huggins, Casilla (gk).

Villa (4-3-3): Martinez, Elmohamady, Konsa, Mings, Targett, McGinn, Nakamba, Ramsey (Sanson 79), Traore, Watkins, El Ghazi (Trezeguet 88) Subs not used: Kesler, Engels, Taylor, Luiz, Barkley, Davis, Heaton (gk).