New manager, same outcome. On Saturday Aston Villa lost 2-1 to Stoke City at Villa Park, as Tim Sherwood started his reign in charge with a demoralizing defeat.
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Villa took the lead early on through Scott Sinclair’s header but right on half time Mame Biram Diouf headed home to make it 1-1. Despite both sides pressing for a winner late in the game, Ron Vlaar made a horrible error to give away a penalty kick as the Dutch defender was sent off and Victor Moses scored the winner from the resulitng penalty kick in stoppage time.
With the win Stoke stay in 10th on 36 points, while Villa remain in the bottom three on 22 points.
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Sherwood got a perfect start as Sinclair headed home Fabian Delph’s wonderful cross from the left to give Villa the lead after just 20 minutes. Sinclair had initially been grappling with Phil Bardsley in the box after a corner had been swung in the winger on loan from Manchester City picked himself up and flicked home the header.
After that Stoke tried to get going but a Victor Moses shot on goal was easily saved by Brad Guzan, with Villa looking good value for their lead.
However five minutes before the break Stoke were level as tension began to build inside Villa Park. Former Villa midfielder Stephen Ireland fizzed a cross over from the right and Diouf got free in the box before burying a header from six-yards out. 1-1 at half time.
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In the second half Stoke pressed to go ahead but Villa held firm to set up a tense finale. Sherwood chucked on Andreas Weimann to try and grab a winner and Ciaran Clark headed over late on as the home side pushed for a winner. But
Stoke were handed all three points after a moment of madness in stoppage time from Villa’s skipper Vlaar. A cheap giveaway let in Moses and Vlaar hauled him down in the box. Red card and a penalty to the Potters which Moses dispatched to make it 2-1 and seal a miserable debut for Sherwood.
LINEUPS
Aston Villa: Guzan, Hutton, Vlaar, Clark, Richardson (Cissokho, 42′), Sinclair, Sanchez, Delph, Gil (Weimann, 58′), Agbonlahor, Benteke
Goal: Sinclair (20′)
Stoke: Begovic; Bardsley, Wollscheid, Wilson, Pieters (Teixeira, 86′); Nzonzi, Whelan; Walters, Ireland (Sidwell, 86′), Moses; Diouf
Goals: Diouf (45′), Moses (90′)
