Villa’s Seven‑Goal Thriller

Aston Villa beat Sunderland 4-3 on Sunday after Tammy Abraham headed in a stoppage-time winner at Villa Park. (beinsports.com) Villa were 3-1 up after Ollie Watkins scored in the second and 36th minutes and Morgan Rogers struck seconds into the second half, but Sunderland leveled through Trai Hume in the 86th minute and Wilson Isidor 58 seconds later. (skysports.com) Abraham’s winner came in the third minute of stoppage time from a Lucas Digne cross, moments after Emiliano Martínez had denied Habib Diarra in a one-on-one chance that could have put Sunderland ahead. (avfc.co.uk) John McGinn said Villa were “buzzing” after the finish, but he also said the team was “definitely not happy” with letting a two-goal lead disappear at 3-3. Unai Emery said Villa “lost our minds a little bit” during Sunderland’s late comeback. (beinsports.com) The result moved Villa level on points with third-place Manchester United and 10 points clear of sixth-place Chelsea with five league matches left. Sunderland stayed two points behind Chelsea after missing the chance to climb as high as sixth. (beinsports.com) That late swing matters in the race for Europe because the Premier League’s top five qualify for the Champions League, and Villa are also still alive in the Europa League semi-finals against Nottingham Forest. (beinsports.com) Watkins’ opener arrived after 1 minute 38 seconds, his club’s fastest Premier League goal of the season, and Chris Rigg’s first-half equalizer was the teenager’s first Premier League goal for Sunderland. (sports.yahoo.com) Villa Park drew 42,599 for the match, and Abraham’s finish made it the first time two Villa substitutes had combined for a goal in the 90th minute or later of a Premier League game. (espn.com, sports.yahoo.com) McGinn’s verdict captured both sides of the afternoon: Villa left with three points and a 4-3 win, but not with the control they thought they had at 3-1. (beinsports.com)