Aston Villa surged into the Premier League's top four after Morgan Rogers' second-half heroics secured a dramatic 2-1 victory against Leeds United at Elland Road, in a match overshadowed by a controversial late VAR decision that chalked off a Dominic Calvert-Lewin equaliser.
Rogers Inspires Villa Comeback
The match began in disastrous fashion for the visitors when Leeds took an early lead following a lengthy VAR review. Lukas Nmecha was credited with the eighth-minute opener after Ezri Konsa's attempted clearance rebounded off the German forward and into the net, with VAR official Paul Tierney confirming no offside in the build-up.
Villa struggled to respond in the first half, with Leeds creating the better opportunities through Noah Okafor and Gabriel Gudmundsson. The home side's intensity threatened to overwhelm Villa, whose only notable chance fell to Ollie Watkins, who curled an effort just wide from distance.
Second Half Transformation
The game transformed within three minutes of the restart as Morgan Rogers equalised for Villa, getting across Jayden Bogle at the near post to convert Donyell Malen's cross for his second goal of the season.
Both sides traded chances in an increasingly open contest, with Watkins forcing a save from Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri before Rogers produced his moment of magic. The England forward curled a superb 75th-minute free-kick from the edge of the box that left Perri flat-footed and put Villa ahead for the first time.
VAR Drama Seals Leeds Fate
The drama intensified just sixty seconds later when Dan James thought he had equalised for Leeds, poking home after racing onto Joe Rodon's long ball. However, VAR intervened, ruling that the ball had struck Dominic Calvert-Lewin's hand before crossing the line, disallowing the goal in a decision that left Elland Road stunned.
Leeds pushed desperately for a legitimate equaliser in the closing stages, with Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez producing a superb save to deny Rodon from a corner, but the visitors held on for a precious three points.
The victory marks Villa's sixth win from their last seven league games, confirming their impressive form under Unai Emery. For Leeds, a fifth defeat in six matches leaves them in the relegation zone and increases pressure on head coach Daniel Farke, despite a spirited performance that saw them match their opponents for long periods.
