EPL: Aston Villa Forces Crystal Palace To Draw

Aston Villa twice came from behind in a thrilling Premier League contest against Crystal Palace to earn a draw and ended their losing run.

Palace had won just one of their opening 11 games this season but took an early lead when Ismaila Sarr raced on to Jean-Philippe Mateta’s pass and slotted past Emiliano Martinez.

Villa began to grow into the game and equalised 30 minutes later through Ollie Watkins, who rounded Dean Henderson and passed into an empty net to end his five-game goal drought.

Unai Emery’s side were buoyed by the goal and were soon awarded a penalty when Will Hughes fouled Leon Bailey, but Youri Tielemans’ spot-kick was superbly saved by Henderson.

Palace retook the lead 57 seconds later when 21-year-old Justin Devenny, making his second senior appearance for the club, converted Sarr’s cross to finish a swift counter-attack.

Henderson and Maxence Lacroix produced several key interventions to preserve the away side’s lead, but neither could do anything to stop Ross Barkley heading in from a corner with just over 10 minutes left.

The game became end-to-end in the closing stages with Villa piling on the pressure, but there was no repeat of Jhon Duran’s goals from the bench.

Palace maintained their threat on the break and Martinez made a fine save to deny Palace substitute Jeffrey Schlupp, before Jefferson Lerma fired a long-range effort narrowly wide.

Though Villa avoided a fifth consecutive defeat in all competitions, Emery’s side are now winless in their past six.

A point moves Villa up to seventh in the Premier League table, while Palace remain in the relegation zone in 18th.