Aston Villa’s wait for home win goes on after Ajer hits back for Brentford

Kristoffer Ajer spent a chunk of the extended international window fielding questions about the state of mind of his Norway teammate Erling Haaland and perhaps in recent weeks he also picked up some finishing tips. Two minutes after John McGinn’s shot cannoned in via Ajer’s calf, the centre-back strode into the Villa box and kept three defenders at arm’s length before equalising, his side-foot shot also catching a nick off a defender, on this occasion Victor Lindelöf.

For the second time in the game, one team cancelled out the other within two minutes; just 88 seconds separated Yehor Yarmolyuk’s opener, born from Jaidon Anthony pressing Tyrone Mings, from Nicolas Jackson’s simple equaliser. It was a strange, seesawing and tempestuous game and a busy one for Ajer, who was also booked late on for questioning a decision by Craig Pawson, who managed the impressive feat of drawing ire from both sets of supporters.

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Unai Emery had dipped into expletive to make it clear he was not enamoured of Villa’s previous home performance, describing their display in defeat by Nottingham Forest as “very shit”, and his side’s failure to hold on to the lead against Brentford extended their winless record since the Villa Park revamp left the ground with just three stands in play.

“We are not happy, we are sad, but I am optimistic because we improved things we needed after the match against Nottingham,” said Emery, conceding his team are struggling to control games in the manner they have so often across his near four-year tenure. “To draw at home is not a good result.”

This feisty draw also maintained Keith Andrews’s fine, unbeaten record against Emery across four meetings, though the visitors also had chances to snatch victory with the left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf’s delivery into the box keeping Villa’s defenders on their toes and the Brazil striker Igor Thiago a constant threat.

Ajer’s equaliser – his first goal in club football for two and a half years – served as confirmation that Villa had threats coming at them from all angles. “When he goes on one of those mazy runs, I encourage him to stay involved in the attack,” Andrews said. “It can be quite off-putting for the opposition defence when they see someone of his size and technical ability around the 18-yard box.”

Brentford, who remain one of four unbeaten sides in the league this season, seized the lead when Anthony forced Mings into a loose pass and Kevin Schade located Thiago, whose cross was cleared by Lindelöf to the edge of the box. Yarmolyuk hammered the ball in but Villa quickly replied. Emi Buendía’s shot deflected off Jannik Schuster and Jackson nipped around the back of Ajer to finish unmarked from the six-yard box.

Buendía missed a chance to gain the lead in the first half, crashing to his knees theatrically, just after Michael Kayode, fresh from scoring on his Italy debut during the break, had superbly blocked Johan Manzambi’s low strike.

Caoimhín Kelleher made a brilliant, instinctive double save on the verge of half-time to deny Jackson and then McGinn. After the interval his opposite number was called into a fine save, Zion Suzuki pushing wide a Schade volley. Emery clenched both fists and momentarily basked in the joy of Villa taking the lead on 77 minutes. Manzambi had the coolness of mind to locate McGinn, who celebrated by dragging his shorts high above his waist in a retort to the chants about his weight. But a roaming, towering Ajer had the final say at the end.

“I sensed Villa were starting to click before the international break, embedding new and talented players and trusted lieutenants that Unai has had for numerous years,” Andrews said. “We could’ve won it, could’ve lost it and I’m a tad disappointed that we couldn’t take advantage of situations in the last 10-15 minutes where I felt we were coming on strong and had the opportunity to win the game.

“But to come away [disappointed] at a club that is playing in the Champions League, won the Europa League, with a manager who has just been nominated for the Ballon d’Or [coach of the year], it probably says where we’re at the moment.”