Aston Villa’s early-season struggles continued despite finally ending their five-game goal drought.
The Premier League side was knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties by Brentford, adding pressure ahead of their Sunday trip to Sunderland.
Unai Emery’s men saw new faces on the pitch, with Harvey Elliott making his full debut and Jadon Sancho featuring for the first time in a Villa shirt.
Elliott managed to score, but even his contribution couldn’t inspire a full turnaround, while Sancho missed a key chance to extend Villa’s lead.
Brentford, meanwhile, were more than happy with their performance despite rotating 10 players in their starting lineup.
Ending the Drought, But Problems Persist
Villa finally ended their goal drought, which dated back to last season’s finale at Manchester United, but the goal came in a scrappy fashion.
Vitaly Janelt hesitated, John McGinn intercepted the ball, and it eventually fell to Harvey Elliott, whose weak shot squeezed past Brentford’s goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson.
Yet the underlying issues remain. Villa continue to show a lack of confidence both in possession and without the ball.
Emery made seven changes for the cup tie, but only Ian Maatsen made a strong case for a starting role in Saturday’s Premier League clash against Sunderland.
Brentford’s Long Throws Prove Effective Again
Brentford’s signature long throws once again made the difference.
The Bees, who used this tactic to score a stoppage-time equalizer against Chelsea last weekend, benefited from a similar setup against Villa.
Frank Onyeka’s throw-in fell to Aaron Hickey after Pau Torres’ clearance was weak, and Hickey volleyed the ball expertly to level the match.
Sancho Faces a Tough Return to Form
Jadon Sancho, on a season-long loan from Manchester United, made his first competitive appearance since the Europa Conference League Final last May.
While Emery hopes to help him regain a spot in the England squad, Sancho struggled to find rhythm in his debut, drifting inside from the left and failing to link up with former Borussia Dortmund teammate Ian Maatsen.
Although there is time for Sancho to make an impact, it is unlikely he will start at Sunderland or in Villa’s upcoming Europa League match against Bologna.
Opportunities will come, but he will need to convert them if he is to rediscover his best form.
Van den Berg Impresses for Brentford
Sepp van den Berg, the only Brentford player retained from their Chelsea fixture, stood out in the Bees’ back three.
He effectively neutralized Villa’s Donyell Malen, showing strength, athleticism, and technical skill.
Van den Berg even came close to scoring with a first-half header that required a fine save from Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot.
Brentford’s recruitment continues to shine, and it would be no surprise if Van den Berg moves on for a significant transfer fee in the near future.