It was always going to be difficult to follow up the high of booking a Europa League final place for Aston Villa but this draw at Burnley fell even below those expectations. This was supposed to be the day Villa all-but-secured Champions League football by beating an already-relegated team only for them to fluff their lines at Turf Moor.
Villa are four points clear of sixth-placed Bournemouth with two games remaining but this felt like a missed opportunity, even if they do have the backup of facing Freiburg in Istanbul for a place at Europe’s top table. Jaidon Anthony and Zian Flemming sandwiched goals from Ross Barkley and Ollie Watkins, ensuring Villa cannot afford to completely rest for the remainder of the domestic season.
Emiliano Martínez joyfully swung from the crossbar after the thrashing of Nottingham Forest on Thursday night to celebrate Villa reaching the Europa League final but he was left sullen under it at Turf Moor when he palmed Lesley Ugochukwu’s tame shot straight to Anthony to fire home from close range. The goal was the result of careful buildup and not trying to force the issue. It was the first time Burnley had led at home in four months and the home crowd were unsure how to celebrate.
It offered a brief pause to the pre-Istanbul party in the away end, which provided some noise in a sparsely populated ground. Villa were giving the travelling contingent little to enjoy, putting in a post-Lord Mayor’s Show pedestrian performance. Burnley dropped very deep, content with their surprise lead, and laid down the challenge to Villa to find a way through two walls of claret.
Burnley were providing plenty of energy to keep them on top and Flemming should have doubled the lead when Ezri Konsa slipped when failing to deal with a cross from the lively Loum Tchaouna but the forward produced a panicked finish from 12 yards, missing the target completely.
Youri Tielemans deemed it his role to provide inspiration amid an insipid Villa performance, bringing energy and a will to get on the ball. It was his cross which found John McGinn but his pull back was scuffed wide by Ross Barkley. At least Villa had found a method of threatening. Soon after the Belgian tested Max Weiss on his Premier League debut, forcing him to tip a dipping 25-yard shot over as Villa finally found a way into the game.
Watkins felt he had equalised, only to have a header ruled out for offside but within moments of the video assistant referee’s red lines being projected, Villa were level thanks to a straightforward corner routine as Barkley flicked home McGinn’s delivery at the front post.
Going into the break, Villa had all the momentum but the sides came out and put on a sloppy quarter of an hour, neither able to find rhythm. Burnley, however, choreographed a fine move when Hannibal Mejbri was sent clear down the right but his drilled cross had too much power for Flemming, who could only graze the ball with his studs when sliding in.
Once again Flemming’s near miss was rued. It was another simple plan as Martínez punted the ball down field, Axel Tuanzebe and Maxime Estève failed to deal with the long pass, and Weiss did not possess the gumption to take control, allowing Watkins to slide in Villa’s second.
At the third time of asking, Flemming did punish Villa. Mejbri produced a delightful flick in the box to the forward who found space and sidefooted home a 10th of the season. “Istanbul? You’re having a laugh” came the chant from the home fans, able to muster some humour in a desperate season.
The game became open in the final 20 minutes as Burnley chased a winner to give their fans something to cheer and Villa wanted to put a foot in the Champions League. The visitors had the better chances in this spell but were unable to test Weiss.