Zion Suzuki horror own goal haunts Aston Villa to hand Fulham a point

Fulham helped cement Jamie Carragher’s argument that Aston Villa will never be Manchester United. No, they know how to grind out a point on a bad day and can go to Barcelona on Tuesday with some confidence.

Villa’s goalkeeper Zion Suzuki dropped Alex Iwobi’s corner over his own goalline to deny Unai Emery’s team a fifth win in six games after Nicolas Jackson’s eighth goal of the season had promised to lift a resurgent Villa back into the top third of the Premier League. Not even John McGinn’s missed penalty had looked set to deny them as they took control in the first period.

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But while Villa were made to look below par by a Fulham side making it seven points from the last nine, the home supporters sang long and loud to make their manager know how much he is appreciated.

The Holte End had not waited long to voice their verdict on the spat between the former England international and the Villa chair.

Carragher had admitted that his words were “clumsy and wrong” after telling Villa fans “to shut the fuck up” as they reacted angrily to his claims that Emery should want to manage Manchester United if Michael Carrick were to be sacked after their long winless run. It seemed like a storm in a teacup to many until Nassef Sawiris issued a statement promising to initiate legal action. “As custodians of this great club, we cannot stand still while the F word is directed at Villa fans,” Sawiris said.

Notwithstanding this disappointing draw, it is beyond question that Emery has done an admirable job at Villa. Even after losing another tranche of top talent, with Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers and Emi Martínez heading up the exits last summer after winning the Europa League, the former Arsenal and PSG manager has resurrected the club’s fortunes yet again. They start seasons slowly – winning only two of their last 12 league games in August and September – but once he has cast his spell and integrated the new signings, Villa tend to get going; they had won eight of their previous 10 league games in October and November.

It must be galling to qualify for the Champions League twice in three years and yet still have your best talents lured away. So the idea that United could, in Carragher’s eyes, come and click their fingers and expect Emery to be unable to resist their faded grandeur evidently stuck in the throats of Villa fans and chair alike.

Fulham’s second-half showing, in particular, merited a draw that followed their recent league wins over Hull and Coventry and kept them two points above the relegation zone in Álvaro Arbeloa’s first autumn in charge. Emery would never countenance it but perhaps Villa’s ultimate glamour trip, to Barcelona, on Tuesday before next Sunday’s visit to Old Trafford, of all places, overshadowed this game.

McGinn spurned his first penalty for the club (excluding shootouts), awarded after Sander Berge was belatedly adjudged to have handled Leon Goretzka’s header, when he thundered his spot-kick against the crossbar.

But while Fulham had plenty of the ball, Villa appeared content to threaten on the counterattack. Indeed, they took the lead in the 39th minute after Jackson was sent running down the inside-left channel by a perfect through ball from Johan Manzambi. The £65m striker weaved into the penalty area past Timothy Castagne and David Affengruber before slotting in his fifth goal in five Premier League games.

Fulham were much more dominant in the second half. “They were more aggressive than us in the first half,” Arbeloa admitted. “I told my players I know we are a team that wants to control the game through the ball. But this is the Premier League. If you want to win a game, you need to fight for every ball.” When Castagne headed on Alex Iwobi’s corner, both Gonzalo García and Shea Charles got a touch on the ball before it spooned up on to the roof of the net. Villa were riding their luck.

Fulham’s dominance paid off, however, in the most unexpected fashion midway through the second half. Suzuki, who has been lauded for his early-season form, had just saved a header from Iwobi when, from the Nigerian’s ensuing corner, under no pressure, he inexplicably dropped the ball just over the line. “It’s part of football,” Emery said. “I make mistakes as coach. The players are making every match mistakes … when it’s the keeper, those mistakes are more in focus. I prefer to speak about the saves he did today.”