Follow live coverage as Aston Villa face AFC Bournemouth today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.
The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola’s side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United’s latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year – yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.
Meanwhile, it’s Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:
Aston Villa XI: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Onana, Tielemans, Rogers, McGinn, Ramsey, Watkins
Bournemouth XI: Travers, Araujo, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez, Cook, Christie, Semenyo, Kluivert, Ouattara, Ünal
NO GOAL 27’ – McGinn curls in for hosts but VAR says ball was out of play (0-0)
Aston Villa FC 0 – 0 AFC Bournemouth
15:41
After making a big impact from the bench last week, Kluivert is now growing into today’s game. He cuts inside Cash on the wing, then drives towards the edge of the box, but his shot at goal flies well wide of the left-hand post.
15:41
An expert at striding up from the back to play a part in Villa’s attacking play, Torres delivers a teasing ball towards Watkins from the left. The latter can’t quite reach it, however.
15:40
Bournemouth are enjoying by far their best spell of this game, as they’ve stepped forward a few yards and are giving Villa much less space to play. For the second time in the last couple of minutes, the Cherries force a corner. Again, though, it comes to nothing.
15:38
SAVE! Kluivert hammers a shot towards the top-left corner from just outside the box, and it’s bound for the back of the net. However, Martinez leaps up and parries it away at full stretch! Great strike, and great goalkeeping!
15:38
NO GOAL! The home fans jeer the VAR’s inevitable decision – Villa’s ‘goal’ is ruled out after a review! It was a lovely finish from McGinn, but Watkins didn’t keep the ball in play near the byline, so Bournemouth escape: it stays 0-0 at Villa Park!
15:33
VILLA GOAL!? Ramsey’s low ball across the box is slightly overhit, but Watkins just about keeps it in on the byline. He quickly turns it back towards McGinn, who fires into the left-hand side of the net from 10 yards! However, the VAR is going to check – did Watkins actually keep the ball in play?
15:32
Substitution Julián Vicente Araujo Zúñiga Adam James Smith
15:30
As things stand, Aston Villa’s chances of victory stand at 50%, according to Opta’s live win-predictor – more than double Bournemouth’s 24%.
15:29
Goal John McGinn
15:29
Assist Oliver George Arthur Watkins
15:28
Bournemouth clear the corner following that fine Travers save, and they take some time to keep hold of the ball. Eventually, a cross is sent over from the left flank, but Unal’s header drifts well wide under plenty of pressure from Torres inside the six-yard box.
15:26
SUPER SAVE! Travers keeps the Cherries level! The latest from Villa’s set-piece playbook catches the visitors out, as Digne lofts a free-kick across to Onana at the back post. The big Belgian midfielder diverts it towards the far corner, but Bournemouth’s stand-in stopper tips it away at full stretch!
15:23
Yellow Card Julián Vicente Araujo Zúñiga
15:23
When Christie sends over an outswinging corner from the left, Martinez arrives through a thicket of bodies and makes first contact. However, under pressure from a couple of Bournemouth players, he spills the ball and Konsa has to quickly mop up.
15:19
Ouattara sneaks through to the right byline but is left outnumbered. His low cross looks to be easily cut out, but Konsa almost makes a mess of it before Villa ultimately clear any immediate danger.
15:19
Yellow Card Youri Marion A. Tielemans
15:17
SAVE! Travers makes a smart stop! After Ramsey’s drive into the area, Cook cuts out a low cutback. Tielemans picks the ball up, though, before turning two defenders and letting fly with a forceful angled shot towards the near post – Bournemouth’s back-up goalkeeper denies him!
15:17
Villa have had 62% of possession so far, and the hosts are happy to take their time with the ball at the back. They’re hoping to draw Bournemouth out and hit them at pace, with Watkins and Rogers both in top form of late.
15:12
An inswinging cross from the left by Kluivert almost meets a few Bournemouth’s bodies inside Villa’s area, but Martinez comes out to claim the ball above everyone else.
15:11
Yellow Card Justin Dean Kluivert
15:11
At the end of a quick passing move, Watkins lays a short pass off for Rogers on the brink of Bournemouth’s box, but the latter can’t control his shot which sails well over the crossbar. Villa have started the brightest so far.
15:10
With Unal back on the pitch, the action resumes. Watkins slips through a gap on the right side of the area and hits the right byline, but his cutback is blocked after a brief moment of panic between Travers and his defenders.
15:07
Curiously, Aston Villa have kept only one clean sheet in the Premier League this season, but they’ve managed three straight shut-outs in Europe following their midweek win over Bologna. Will Bournemouth breach their back line today?
15:06
Yellow Card Amadou Ba Zeund Georges Mvom Onana
15:03
Aston Villa kick off, and we are under way in Birmingham!
15:01
The players are out on the pitch at Villa Park, and kick-off in this Premier League contest is now just moments away!
15:01
Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott underwent surgery on a knee injury this week, so he is one of four men missing from the XI that started against Arsenal. Most notably, Kepa Arizabalaga drops out of the squad entirely, with Republic of Ireland international Travers stepping in between the posts; Unal and Kluivert join forces up front.
14:59
Despite scoring on a rare start in midweek, Aston Villa super-sub Duran returns to his regular role on the bench; Watkins – who has played a part in five goals in his last three games against Bournemouth – is back in the first XI. Jaden Philogene serves a one-match ban for his late red card at Fulham, but Villa’s long injury list has recently cleared and he is the hosts’ sole absentee.
14:59
SUBS: Will Dennis, Dean Huijsen, David Brooks, Evanilson, Tyler Adams, Adam Smith, Marcus Tavernier, James Hill, Max Aarons.
14:59
BOURNEMOUTH (4-2-3-1): Mark Travers; Julian Araujo, Illia Zabarnyi, Marcos Senesi, Milos Kerkez; Lewis Cook, Ryan Christie; Dango Ouattara, Justin Kluivert, Antoine Semenyo, Enes Unal.
14:59
SUBS: Robin Olsen, Diego Carlos, Tyrone Mings, Ross Barkley, Jhon Duran, Emiliano Buendia, Ian Maatsen, Leon Bailey, Boubacar Kamara
14:59
ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Emiliano Martinez; Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Lucas Digne; Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans; John McGinn, Morgan Rogers, Jacob Ramsey; Ollie Watkins.
14:59
Last week, Bournemouth condemned 10-man Arsenal to their first loss of the season, and a 2-0 home win took the south coast side up to 11th place in the table. Having got the better of Mikel Arteta, Cherries coach Andoni Iraola now pits his wits against another Basque boss at Villa Park, where Bournemouth have lost on both of their last two visits. They also have only three wins from 13 Premier League away games in 2024 so far.
14:59
Aston Villa return to domestic duty today, after a 2-0 Champions League win over Bologna in midweek took them top of the table in Europe’s top club competition with maximum points so far. One of only two teams to post nine points from three games – alongside Liverpool – Villa’s quest to qualify for the 2025-26 edition has also started well: they sit fourth in the Premier League table following last week’s 3-1 away victory at Fulham. Across all competitions, Unai Emery’s men have now won eight of their last 10 matches.
14:59
Hello and welcome to live coverage of today’s Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Bournemouth at Villa Park!
14:30
Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
13:55 , Karl Matchett
Aston Villa XI: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Onana, Tielemans, Rogers, McGinn, Ramsey, Watkins
Bournemouth XI: Travers, Araujo, Zabarnyi, Senesi, Kerkez, Cook, Christie, Semenyo, Kluivert, Ouattara, Ünal
13:00
Follow all the goals and latest action from the Premier League here with The Independent. Team news and line-ups coming up shortly…
