Report & Highlights: Devenny earns Palace a point at Villa Park

Justin Devenny scored in just his second Premier League appearance as Crystal Palace earned a hard-fought point at Villa Park, in a game packed with incident and drama.

The opening exchanges on afternoons like this can often be cagey: the gloom enveloped Villa Park and the rain continued to drizzle, but Palace were in no mood to start sluggishly.

The Eagles had the lead inside four minutes, springing forwards and leaving Villa’s high line for dead. Rather than finish the chance himself, this time it was an assist for Jean-Philippe Mateta, who received the ball on the halfway line under pressure, but pivoted to slot through for the onrushing Ismaila Sarr.

Sarr still had plenty to do. He raced a full 50 yards goalwards, tearing away from Lamare Bogarde and bearing down on Emi Martinez, before slotting cooly home. It was the perfect start.

Villa pushed immediately after the opener, but it was still Palace creating the better chances. Mateta turned the ball over on halfway and released Will Hughes, who teed up Sarr to sting the palms of Martinez from the angle.

The hosts had chances of their own, the best coming through Ollie Watkins, who cut inside in trademark fashion and smashed the ball towards the bottom corner. Dean Henderson got down smartly and thrust out a strong left hand to keep it out.

It would be Watkins to find Villa’s equaliser, though, in typical, clinical fashion. Slotted through by John McGinn, he rounded Henderson and passed into an empty net.

Suddenly, Villa were on top – and soon they had a golden opportunity to complete the comeback, awarded a penalty by the Video Assistant Referee for a challenge by Hughes on Leon Bailey.

Tielemans stepped up, but Henderson flew to his left to keep it out, and to spark wild celebrations in the adjacent away end. It was to get even better still.

Racing up the other end, Sarr pulled the ball back across the face of goal where Mateta failed to make contact, but who was in the right place to curl home? Justin Devenny, making just his second Premier League appearance.

It was a special moment, and ensured Palace went in ahead at the break.

After the restart, there was no sign of either side waiting around to suss each other out. At one end, Rogers flashed across the face of goal and wide, while Mateta forced Martinez into a save at the other.

The rain got heavier, and the game became more tense, with Palace bursting forwards on the break with every opportunity and Villa working to hit back with counter-attacks of their own. From a Palace free-kick, Villa countered, with Duran slotting it through for Watkins to bear down on goal. Just as he prepared to let fly, in stepped Maxence Lacroix, who was nothing short of sensational all afternoon, to win the ball back.

The equaliser came in innocuous circumstances, as Ross Barkley headed home from a well-delivered set-piece – but Palace refused to settle for a draw.

Almost instantly they moved forwards, with Sarr being denied by Martinez on the volley, before substitute Jeff Schlupp unleashed a low, fizzing drive moments later which the ‘keeper could only tip onto the inside of the post.

The Eagles may feel unfortunate to come away with just a point, but after a display which demonstrated not only their quality but their fighting spirit from the first minute to the last, there will be plenty of positives to take heading into the busy Christmas period.

Aston Villa: Martinez (GK), Maatsen (Duran, 68), Carlos, Torres, Bogarde (Cash, HT), Tielemans, Barkley, McGinn (Digne, 68), Rogers (Buendia, 83), Bailey (Philogene, 83), Watkins.

Subs: Olsen (GK), Mings, Nedeljkovic, Broggio.

Palace: Henderson (GK), Mitchell, Guehi, Lacroix, Chalobah, Munoz, Hughes (Richards, 90), Doucouré (Lerma, 61), Sarr (Clyne, 90), Devenny (Schlupp, 74), Mateta.

Subs: Turner (GK), Matthews (GK), Ward, Kporha, Agbinone.