Aston Villa 1-1 Sheffield United: Nicolo Zaniolo header snatches point at the death to break Blades hearts

Nicolo Zaniolo headed home deep in added time as Aston Villa rescued a late point and their unbeaten home record in a 1-1 Premier League draw against Sheffield United at Villa Park.

Unai’s Emery’s side dominated possession against the visitors, but suffered the classic sucker punch on 87 minutes when former Villa player Cameron Archer converted the cutback by substitute Gustavo Hamer for a shock lead.

United seemed set for their first league win at Villa Park since January 1966, but substitute Zaniolo, who replaced Leon Bailey on 81 minutes, rescued a merited point when he nodded home Douglas Luiz’s cross in the seventh minute of nine added.

It was the first time Villa have not won a league match at Villa Park this season with their club-record run of home wins halted at 15 as they join league leaders Arsenal on 39 points having played one game more.

Arsenal face third-placed Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday with Jurgen Klopp’s side chasing three points to move top at Christmas.

Despite conceding in the dying seconds when poised for a smash-and-grab win, Chris Wilder’s well-drilled United team move off the foot of the table.

They are a point above Burnley with nine points from 18 games.

It was far from a vintage evening for Villa or their expectant fans against a visiting side content to sit deep and deny them space, but all that was good about the home team seemed to flow through the Brazilian midfielder.

A first home defeat in the league since February beckoned until Luiz provided the pinpoint cross for Zaniolo to rise highest in heading the equaliser.

Who knows how vital that may be at the end of the season as Villa prepare for a trip to face Manchester United on Boxing Day.

VAR was certainly busy at Villa Park, but seemed to get most of the key decisions correct, including the clear foul on United keeper Wes Foderingham by Jacob Ramsey that saw Leon Bailey’s finish correctly ruled out just before the hour-mark.

But the most contentious call of the evening occurred in the opening exchanges when Vinicius Souza clearly pushed Ollie Watkins in the back as he tried to head home a cross.

Referee Anthony Taylor held the game up for VAR to check before waving play on, but the more you studied the replays, the more obvious it seemed that Souza had committed a foul.

It was not given and in hindsight was a lucky break perhaps for The Blades on a night when they rode their luck to escape with a precious point.

Aston Villa: Martinez 6, Cash 6, Konsa 6, Lenglet 6, Digne 6, Douglas Luiz 7, McGinn 6, Diaby 6, Ramsey 6, Bailey 7, Watkins 6 Subs: Moreno 6, Zaniolo 7, Duran 6

Sheffield United: Foderingham 8, Bogle 6, Trusty 7, Robinson 6, Larouci 6, Ben Slimane; 6 Baldock 7, Souza 6, Norwood 7, Brooks, 7 Archer 7 Subs: Lowe 7, Hamer 7, McBurnie 6, McAtee 6

9′ CRIES FOR A PENALTY FROM HOME FANS Watkins goes up for a high ball and is pushed in the back by Vinicius Souza, but VAR takes a look before deciding that is no penalty.

17′ FODERINGHAM FORCED TO MAKE A FINE STOP Diaby on the run for Villa. Times his run to perfection from the Bailey pass to unleash the shot, but the United ‘keeper is equal to the task with a low save.

59′ GOAL FOR VILLA! (BAILEY) Finally the goal arrives for the home side as Bailey slams the ball into the net from the Ollie Watkins cross. Fine finish to give Unai Emery’s side the lead. 1-0 up.

63′ VAR DECISION: NO GOAL FOR VILLA! Jacob Ramsey with a clear pull on Foderingham on his line as he tried to come out and punch the ball. Took around four minutes, but that is the correct decision. And it remains 0-0.

87′ GOAL FOR SHEFFIELD UNITED! (ARCHER) Lovely finish from close range by Archer as he slips the ball into the net from Hamer’s cross. Brilliant play by him to elude McGinn before setting up his team-mate to finish with ease. A stunning end to this match.

90+7′ GOAL FOR ASTON VILLA (ZANIOLO) Nicolò Zaniolo rises to head home from the Luiz cross and that is a merited equaliser late on. Phew! What a finish. It is 1-1 late on.

Aston Villa remain unbeaten in their last 15 home league games against Sheffield United with eight wins and seven draws since losing 2-0 in January 1966 – five months before Alf Ramsey’s England became world champions at Wembley.