Leeds 1-2 Aston Villa: Report, result, goals as Rogers sends Villans fourth

Read a report and see the goals from Leeds vs Villa

Leeds 1-2 Aston Villa: Report, result, goals as Rogers sends Villans fourth

Two superb strikes by Morgan Rogers sent Aston Villa fourth in the Premier League with a comeback win at Elland Road to leave Leeds United in the relegation zone.

Lukas Nmecha tapped in from close range to give the hosts an eighth-minute lead following a lengthy Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check, but Villa equalised three minutes after the restart through Rogers’s clever finish as part of a much-improved second-half performance.

The England international, who signed a new deal at the club until 2031 this week, curled in a free-kick with 15 minutes remaining before Daniel James had an equaliser disallowed for handball against Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Villa are next in action at home to Swiss side Young Boys in the Europa League on Thursday (17:45 GMT), two days before Leeds visit Manchester City in the top flight (15:00).

Leeds vs Aston Villa: Rogers goals change game

A VAR check of almost four minutes led to Leeds taking the lead in their pursuit of a point to move out of the bottom three, with officials there had been no offside and 6ft 5in Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez had not been impeded in an aerial challenge with 6ft 4in Anton Stach, leaving both players floored.

Leeds midfielder Stach departed with concussion shortly afterwards as part of an attritional first half with a scarcity of chances, although Matty Cash and Ollie Watkins shot narrowly wide for Villa with half-time approaching.

Villa boss Unai Emery Villa sent on Ian Maatsen and Donyell Malen for Lucas Digne and Emiliano Buendia at half-time, the move swiftly paying dividends when Malen combined with Cash before firing in a cross from the right, Rogers arriving first at the near post to apply a deft, faint touch and divert the ball into the far corner of the net.

Rogers’ spectacular strike helped Villa earn a 2-1 comeback win at Tottenham on October 19 and the 23-year-old produced another goal for the highlights reel against the Whites, dipping a free-kick masterfully over the hosts’ defensive wall from near the edge of the box to the right of centre.

James, who scored in Wales’s 7-1 home win over North Macedonia in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday, thought he had more to celebrate when the winger fired in from the ensuing attack, only for a check to catch Calvert-Lewin’s clear handball.

Leeds team vs Villa

Winger Wilfried Gnonto was back from injury on the bench for Leeds, but centre-back Sebastiaan Bornauw remained absent following a knee issue

Leeds United starting XI: Lucas Perri, Jayden Bogle, Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Sean Longstaff, Ethan Ampadu, Anton Stach, Brenden Aaronson, Lukas Nmecha, Noah Okafor

Leeds substitutes: Karl Darlow, Daniel James, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Joel Piroe, Jaka Bijol, Ao Tanaka, James Justin, Wilfried Gnonto, Ilia Gruev

Aston Villa team vs Leeds United

Centre-back Tyrone Ming and midfielder Amadou Onana were out for Villa, with Ezri Konsa, Cash and Lamare Bogarde available following injury issues.

Youri Tielemans returned in place of Onana in their one change from the win over Bournemouth, with George Hemmings introduced on the bench.

Aston Villa starting XI: Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Lucas Digne, John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendia, Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins

Villa substitutes: Marco Bizot, Victor Lindelof, Ross Barkley, Donyell Malen, Jadon Sancho, Ian Maatsen, Lamare Bogarde, Evann Guessand, George Hemmings

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins

Premier League results and fixtures this weekend

Nottingham Forest’s victory at reigning champions Liverpool to move out of the relegation was the most notable of Saturday’s results, while Chelsea won at Burnley to move second, staying ahead of Manchester City after the Cityzens lost at Newcastle.

Saturday, November 22

Burnley 0-2 Chelsea

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Brentford

Fulham 1-0 Sunderland

Liverpool 0-3 Nottingham Forest

Wolves 0-2 Crystal Palace

Newcastle 2-1 Manchester City

Sunday, November 23

Leeds United 1-2 Aston Villa

Arsenal vs Tottenham (16:30)

Monday, November 24

Manchester United vs Everton (20:00)