For Emiliano Martínez, this cold evening in Aston must have been eerily reminiscent of the World Cup in the Persian Gulf last month. There was the superb point-blank save to deny Jack Harrison and Leeds a certain draw on the brink of half-time; a replica of the free-kick routine from which Wout Weghorst, the Dutch forward who has just joined Manchester United, scored to force extra time in the quarter-finals; there were the dark arts, perfected by Villa, that infuriated Jesse Marsch on the touchline. And finally, there was a sweet victory at the end of it all.
Conversely, the last few months have represented a pretty miserable existence for Marsch, not that you’d know it from the animated tone of his 13-minute post-match press conference, in which he insisted this was the most complete performance of his team since he took over last February. Marsch’s behavior was a world away from a manager worried about whether he would survive until Wednesday’s FA Cup third-round replay at home to Cardiff, but the reality is that, since August, Leeds have won two of their last 17 games in all competitions. In the last 13 games they have kept a clean sheet and remain 14th, two points above the relegation zone. In a week when Marsch joined LinkedIn, the networking platform, it’s hard not to think that the American could soon find himself out of a job.
Unai Emery is feeling the love at Villa Park after picking up 13 points in his first six Premier League games in charge. Marsch, meanwhile, was booed by some Leeds fans when he went to thank the away side after the final whistle and some fans made their disdain clear, calling for him to be sent off towards the end of the second half. “I understand the pressures of the expectations of a club like Leeds United,” Marsch said afterwards. “I’m more positive than ever since I’ve been here. We’re not even halfway through the season. There is no panic. When the team doesn’t win the coach will always take the heat, but I take care of that.” Marsch is also not naive. “It’s always about results,” he added. “I know if we play like this , we will get results much more often than we have done.”
Leeds got off to a terrible start when Leon Bailey fired a shot into the far corner with less than three minutes remaining. The worst part was that it was a counter-attacking goal that resulted from a Leeds corner. An unmarked Marc Roca flew through the air as he tried to convert Harrison’s cross and impressive newcomer Ashley Young found Boubacar Kamara, who excelled at the base of Villa’s midfield. Kamara opened up the field in the Leeds half before turning Brendan Aaronson and picking out Bailey, whose sharp left-footed finish sent the home support wild. “I’m very happy with Leon because against Wolves he had two very good chances to win the game and he was a bit upset,” said Emery, the Villa manager. “But today he scored the goal and did a very good action.”
Emi Buendía (No. 10) heads Aston Villa’s second goal. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images/Reuters
Emery had to make two first-half changes with Lucas Digne and OIlie Watkins forced off on the half-hour and Leeds should have been at least level at the interval. Aaronson played the role of Teun Koopmeiners as Leeds tried to recreate Weghorst’s strike in Qatar and played the ball to Rodrigo but, under pressure from Douglas Luiz, the striker could not get a clear shot. Villa squandered a chance to double their lead when Bailey, played superbly by Young, cooked a simple pass which would have provided Watkins with an easy finish.
Álex Moreno had the chance to cap off a fine debut with a goal after an exchange with the returning Jacob Ramsey and Villa extended their lead when Emi Buendía pounced on the rebound of Bailey’s powerful strike. Illan Meslier put his left hand to Bailey’s drive but, despite his right hand reaching the ball, the Leeds keeper was unable to prevent Buendía’s header from penetrating him. The goal was initially ruled offside before a VAR check overturned the decision.
In the first half Martínez saved superbly from Harrison and moments earlier Moreno made a brilliant sliding block to deny Rodrigo a certain goal. In the end, substitute Patrick Bamford’s first goal for 404 days, in his first appearance since October following groin surgery, was little more than a consolation. Leeds’ £30m move for Hoffenheim striker Georginio Rutter suggests they are happy to back Marsch this month, but it remains to be seen whether the manager’s version of events will wash. “If we can use this as a moment to really make it click, I think we have a bright future,” Marsch insisted. He will wait for a chance to realize it.