Aston Villa player ratings as Villa drop points against ten-man Sunderland

Villa shambolic season continues under a black cloud at the Stadium of Light

No wins in the first five Premier League fixtures is a poor run for anyone, never mind a team that beat the European champions a few months ago.

Aston Villa have completely gone to pot and the questions that will be asked in the next week will be every bit as deserved as the ferocious criticism that goes along with them.

Villa were gifted a golden opportunity for their first Premier League win when Sunderland had a player stupidly sent off in the first half and found a new way to embarrass themselves by taking the lead against the ten men of a promoted team and not winning.

Here are the ratings:

Emiliano Martínez - 7

Started with a strong punch and a couple of nice pieces of handling in the first 20 minutes. No real chance with Sunderland’s equaliser.

Matty Cash - 6

Showed some bravery on the ball on the right, taking the chance to move it on first-time in Sunderland’s half. Drew Reinildo’s red card after 32 minutes at a considerable cost to himself; joined a proud history of footballers being booed for getting kicked in the spuds.

Good work on the cover in first-half stoppage time with Sunderland breaking but turned attack into defence unnecessarily just after the hour mark with a silly decision in possession.

Smacked in Villa’s first Premier League goal of the season with a 25-yard piledriver. Robin Roefs might have done better with it but who cares?

Ezri Konsa - 6

Forced into defensive action after quarter of an hour and did it well. Primary role became about marshalling Wilson Isidor and keeping the ball on the move, easy work for a player of his calibre.

Tyrone Mings - 6

Super pass into the channel for Buendía early on. Calm defending and decent on the ball in the first 20 minutes, then stepped up to play more progressive passes against ten men.

Lucas Digne - 5

Slightly above average defensively. Slightly below average going forward but tight interchange with Buendía to create an opening shortly after Sunderland’s red card. Replaced by Ian Maatsen before the hour.

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Boubacar Kamara - 6

Comfortable and sharp on his return from injury. Even in what was a poor team start, Kamara looked a cut above. Chose not to strike from the edge of the box in the first minute of the second half when it was the right thing to do.

John McGinn - 6

Terrific piece of physical defending just before the half-hour to stop a counter-attack. Increasingly involved in the attack with Sunderland down to ten men. Mostly fine. Occasionally good. Occasionally crap.

Evann Guessand - 6

Excellent tracking back twice in the first few minutes, with two good tackles and an important defensive header to boot. Supported Cash whenever required. First involvement in possession was a positive one. Produced an important save from Roefs in the 25th but should have scored.

Not in the game at all in the early part of the second half but benefited whenever Villa picked up the pace. Replaced by Donyell Malen with 18 minutes left.

Morgan Rogers - 3

Completely anonymous for the first quarter of the match. First touch wasn’t up to scratch and final pass wasn’t much better, but found a bit of quality to make Villa’s first chance for Guessand. Dug out a tremendous cross early in the second half that won a corner. It was thin gruel. Replaced with nine minutes left.

Emi Buendía - 5

Showed the usual tenacity out of possession and the usual tendency to be not quite quick enough with the ball. Replaced by Harvey Elliott before the hour.

Ollie Watkins - 3

Unable to hold the ball and barely involved in the first half – once again, not entirely his doing but not making the most of the service he did get. Gradually grew into the game at the end of the first half with Villa playing in the Sunderland half. Awful decision not to challenge for the Granit Xhaka header that made the equaliser.

Substitutes

Ian Maatsen (for Digne, 58) - Involved on the left with Villa attacking ten men but limited impact. 6

Harvey Elliott (for Buendía, 58) - Sent a good chance wide with eight minutes left. 5

Donyell Malen (for Guessand, 73) - Should have tested Roefs with his first involvement just before the equaliser. 4

Jadon Sancho (for Rogers, 81) - Late substitute. N/A

Lamare Bogarde (for Kamara, 81) - Late substitute. N/A