Jonny Evans rolls back the years as Manchester United hold out at Aston Villa - Premier League hits and misses

Evans Shines As Man Utd Secures Draw

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At one moment, Gary Neville jokingly mentioned that he wondered if he and his brother Phil might end up playing as full-backs, after learning that his former teammate Jonny Evans, now 36, was set to start for Manchester United in their match against Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday.

Erik ten Hag took a significant risk with his lineup, bringing in Harry Maguire and Evans after deciding to leave out Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez due to their poor defensive performances against Spurs and Porto. Surprisingly, this decision led to their strongest defensive performance of the season, as they managed to hold on for a goalless draw.

Neville was keen to point out that it appeared to be a last-ditch decision just before the game began. "This isn't what we intended," stated the Sky Sports analyst. "The goal for this season was for Erik ten Hag to implement his playing style, push the team forward, and make them more combative."

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The adjustments had the intended impact in the short run. Maguire had to leave the game at halftime because of an injury, but Evans persevered for the full 90 minutes, shining as United's standout performer and securing the player-of-the-match title with a display that defied his years.

Villa secured their third straight home win with their Champions League triumph over Bayern Munich earlier this week. However, United managed to restrict them to just 11 shots, which only amounted to a low expected goals total of 0.42. A significant contributor to this effort was Evans, who excelled by winning 11 out of 12 duels and successfully claiming all five aerial challenges.

Ollie Watkins had the speed advantage, but the Aston Villa forward never got the opportunity to showcase it due to Evans' clever positioning. This didn’t exactly mark a turning point for United. However, Evans provided Ten Hag with the assistance he required for that match. - Nick Wright

Villa Faces Growing Squad Challenges With Konsa Out

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It's concerning for Aston Villa and Unai Emery that the team appears fatigued this early in the season. It's understandable, as they put in a tremendous effort to secure a victory against Bayern Munich earlier in the week, resulting in injuries to both Amadou Onana and Jacob Ramsey during the match.

Leon Bailey, who isn't at his best physically, began the match against United and worked hard throughout. This situation underscores just how thin Emery's squad is becoming.

Additionally, England international Ezri Konsa had to leave the game during the first half, appearing visibly frustrated while sitting on the bench as the match ended in a goalless draw.

The offensive performance against United sometimes appeared sluggish and cumbersome. Many crosses couldn’t clear the first defender, players seemed oblivious to their surroundings, and overall, there was a noticeable lack of danger throughout the match.

The international break might have come at just the right moment for Villa. They could really use a break from the action and a chance to reintegrate key players like Boubacar Kamara and Tyrone Mings into the squad, which will provide some much-needed assistance as they move ahead.

Aston Villa and their shallow roster

Aston Villa's substitutes had an average age of only 22 during the match against Manchester United, featuring four players from their academy in the lineup chosen by Unai Emery.

"We're missing those players because they're injured," Emery mentioned after the match when questioned about the team's depth. He also pointed out that captain John McGinn has been out for the last four games, which has had an impact.

The recent tie with United marks Villa's eighth consecutive game without a loss. However, it remains uncertain how much longer they can maintain this unbeaten streak, given the packed schedule and the ongoing injury issues affecting the team. - Patrick Rowe

Nuno's Latest Away Defensive Masterclass

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Nottingham Forest couldn’t have picked a worse moment to go up against Chelsea. Enzo Maresca was hoping to secure his sixth consecutive victory across all competitions, but in the end, he was somewhat relieved to settle for a 1-1 draw, especially since his team spent the last 25 minutes, including stoppage time, facing a Chelsea squad reduced to 10 players.

If it weren't for Robert Sanchez's outstanding performance, Forest would have achieved consecutive league victories at Stamford Bridge for the first time since January 1908.

They haven't lost any matches away from home, and after playing seven games, no other team has a stronger away defense than Nuno Espirito Santo's squad. He attributes this success to their dedication and effort.

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"Ever since last season, we've focused on getting better in this area," he stated. "You can't compete in the Premier League without being solid, cohesive, and robust defensively. The team is making good progress thanks to their dedication and determination. We need to keep pushing forward and always recognize the skills of our rivals, which means our defensive efforts are crucial."

Espirito Santo gathered his coaching team together after Chris Wood scored the first goal, marking a moment to celebrate the success of a set-play they had worked on during practice. Every detail is meticulously planned.

Forest's ability to withstand Chelsea's intense late pressure will have delighted the Portuguese manager, just as much as the determination displayed during the second-half scuffle that led to the thrilling conclusion.

Watching talisman Morgan Gibbs-White limp off with an ankle injury and then seeing the team reduced to 10 men after James Ward-Prowse was sent off—only to almost secure all three points—highlights Forest’s development as a rising team. They are increasingly seen as a challenging opponent by the established Premier League teams.

Following their triumph over Liverpool, the situation surrounding the event made it even more remarkable. Ben Grounds

Maresca Should Worry About Chelsea's Discipline

Maresca aims to elevate Chelsea's status in the Premier League, but the Blues are currently at the forefront of one category, and it’s not a favorable one.

The Blues have accumulated a total of 27 yellow cards this season, more than any other team in the Premier League. Their recent draw against Nottingham Forest marked the second occasion this season that Chelsea reached the six-yellow-card limit, which triggers a £25,000 penalty.

However, the situation is concerning as it exposes gaps in Chelsea's defense. Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella have both received their fifth yellow cards of the season, which means the Blues will have a compromised defense when they face Liverpool on October 20, live on Sky Sports.

The absence of the talented Cucurella raises some worries, especially as Renato Veiga or possibly even Ben Chilwell will need to take charge and defend against the powerful Mohamed Salah. At the same time, Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer have both accumulated three yellow cards. Losing either of them for a match would be troubling, considering how much Chelsea has depended on them for their offensive performance this season.

Maresca has stated that he isn’t worried about the yellow cards being accumulated by Chelsea players. The performance of his goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez, who has had an excellent start this season and has improved the team's defense, strengthens his position. However, the Chelsea manager needs to keep an eye on this issue of discipline within the squad, as it may pose problems down the line. – Sam Blitz