It has been a Premier League campaign of mixed emotions for Aston Villa as they could only secure an 11th placed finish in the league table after picking up a hard-fought 2-1 win over Chelsea last weekend. Despite their impressive form in the first half of this season, the West Midlands club could not sustain their challenge for one of the European spots in the injury absence of Jack Grealish.
Aston Villa’s 2020-21 Premier League Season Review: Major Talking Points
The Villans made a dream start to this campaign as they won four matches on the spin which included their 7-2 demolition of Liverpool back in October last year. However, Dean Smith’s men tasted defeat for the first time against Leeds United which halted their momentum.
However, Villa showed great character to keep themselves amongst the Premier League’s big boys and found themselves in the ninth spot on Christmas Day. Even then, it was clear that the busy winter period was taking a toll on some of their first-team regulars which explains why they suffered three losses in January.
A serious shinbone injury to Jack Grealish left Dean Smith in a world of concern as he struggled to lead his players towards a top-half finish. Still, the Villans deserve a lot of credit for not giving up in the face of adversity and ended the season strong by picking up maximum points over Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea and earning an 11th place finish in the Premier League as a result.
Aston Villa’s Best Players Of This Season
Ezri Konsa
The English defensive ace has been a rock at the back for the Villans this season as he caught the eye by averaging 0.7 tackles, 0.8 interceptions and 4.4 clearances per game in the Premier League (stats via whoscored).
Bertrand Traore
The Burkina Faso international has been a breath of fresh air in the English top-flight. Traore ended the league campaign with seven goals and seven assists to his name which goes to show how important he has been for Dean Smith’s side.
Ollie Watkins
The English striker has not been a consistent goal-scorer this season but deserves a pat on the back for scoring 14 goals and earning five assists in 37 league matches. The fact that he has only missed one league game for the Villans this season goes to show just how reliant Smith has been on his services over the past ten months.
Key Moments
Aston Villa’s Incredible 7-2 Victory Over Liverpool: 4 October 2020
The West Midlands outfit managed to secure a shock 7-2 win over the Reds in the early stages of this campaign which gave them the belief to go on and steer clear of the relegation zone in the Premier League this season.
Anwar El Ghazi’s Match-Winning Penalty In Derby Win Vs Wolverhampton Wanderers: 12 December 2020
El Ghazi scored a priceless 94th-minute goal which handed Villa all three points in the West Midlands derby. That win gave them a lot of confidence ahead of the busy Christmas period when teams usually struggle as the fixtures come thick and fast in English football.
