Aston Villa 1-1 Sheffield United

Nicolò Zaniolo came off the bench to score his first Premier League goal and rescue a point against Sheffield United at Villa Park.

The Italian glanced home Douglas Luiz’s cross in the seventh minute of second half stoppage time to extend Aston Villa’s unbeaten run to ten games.

It was attack versus defence for the majority of the match as the Blades sat deep and tasked the hosts with breaking them down.

Ezri Konsa, Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby missed chances in the first half before the breakthrough looked to have arrived on 59 minutes.

Leon Bailey turned home Watkins’ cross in front of the Holte End, but agony ensued as VAR ruled it out for a foul in the build-up.

And with stoppage time approaching, former Villan Cameron Archer struck with a goal that ended Villa’s run of 15 consecutive home league wins.

Clement Lenglet came in for his first Premier League appearance for the club as one of four changes from the win at Brentford, with Lucas Digne, Luiz and Bailey also named in the starting XI.

United, who had taken one point from their eight away matches this season, set up in a defensive 5-4-1 formation intent on frustrating the home side.

Sights of goal were at a premium in the early stages as Villa looked to pick their opponents apart before the in-form Bailey slid a pass through to Diaby, watching on as the Frenchman called Wes Foderingham into a fine one-handed save.

Two dead-ball situations threatened to break the Blades’ resistance, with Konsa heading John McGinn’s corner over the bar before Watkins sent a shot into the North Stand following another inswinging corner.  

Villa enjoyed 79% possession in the first 45 minutes but knew they needed to make better use of it as the teams headed down the tunnel at half-time.  

The second half began as the first had finished with the home side camped in United’s half of the pitch, pressing and probing for a way to goal.

And on 59 minutes Villa Park went delirious as Bailey turned home Watkins’ low cross after Jacob Ramsey had won the ball back as the visitors tried to play out following a corner.

However, the celebrations were cut short as it became clear the goal was being checked by VAR for a foul on Foderingham, with referee Anthony Taylor ultimately ruling it out after checking the pitchside monitor.

As the game moved into the final 20 minutes, Jhon Durán and Álex Moreno were sent on in place of Digne and Diaby.

Emi Martínez had watched his teammates attacking at the other end for 78 minutes before he was finally called into action, diving across goal to catch Oliver Norwood’s shot.

The chance seemed to bring the Blades out of their shell, and their away support were jubilant when they snatched the lead with three minutes to play.

Sub Hamer evaded McGinn and cut the ball back to Archer, who applied a first-time finish.

Moreno, who scored with a header last time out, came close to repeating the trick when he met Matty Cash's cross, but the full-back found Foderingham in his way. 

And just as it looked as though the home side were headed to defeat, Zaniolo leapt in front of Foderingham and headed home a greatly-received equaliser.