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Football
Aston Villa
vs Burnley. Premier League.
2: 00pm, Sunday 5th October 2025.
Villa Park Attendance: Attendance40, 308.
Report and free match highlights as Donyell Malen scored in either half as Aston Villa beat Burnley; Lesley Ugochukwu netted a reply for the visitors late on but the Clarets could not find another goal; Villa have now won back-to-back league games and move into 13th place
Senior football journalist
Sunday 5 October 2025 17: 30, UK Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Donyell Malen scored twice as Aston Villa beat Burnley 2-1 to register their first back-to-back Premier League wins of the campaign. In fact, including Europa League games, Unai Emery's side have now won their last four matches as their early season slump appears to be over. Villa were criticised last season for underperforming in the league after their midweek European matches, but showed no ill-effects on Sunday after a dramatic encounter with Feyenoord just three days before. It was a defence-splitting pass from Boubacar Kamara that found Malen unmarked through the middle. He drove into the box and, despite being pushed wide by Maxime Esteve, managed to fire home on a tight angle to give Aston Villa the lead. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Burnley registered their first shot in the 35th minute as Josh Cullen drew a glancing save from Emi Martinez, which was the Clarets' only registered effort until their goal. Aston Villa continued to miss chances to put the game to bed either side of the break, but finally made one count as Malen scored again just after the hour. Morgan Rogers picked the Dutchman out down the right of the box and once again on an acute angle, Malen struck past Martin Dubravka to double Aston Villa's lead.
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Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player But Burnley made sure of a tense finish as Lesley Ugochukwu nodded home. It came from Quilindschy Hartman's corner, with the midfielder's effort wriggling through Martinez's legs. Aston Villa twice stung the palms of Dubravka in the final moments - Rogers and Lucas Digne the culprits - while Emi Buendia was forced off with concussion in added time. He managed to walk off the pitch despite the stretcher being brought on. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Villa saw the remainder of the game out without incident to claim another three points of the season. It moves them up into 13th on nine points, while Burnley remain in the bottom three with four points from seven games. Aston Villa boss Unai Emery to Sky Sports: "After our start, we are being so demanding every day, in training sessions, building the team. We're very demanding when we are playing [lots of] matches in a row, in Europe and in the league. "After our first month, this month has been very good because we drew three matches and then we won four matches. "Here at Villa Park, we have to again get our fortress. We have to compete with every team and their demands, like today. "We are finishing before the break with a good balance, getting confidence and feeling more comfortable than we were. "I am really happy how the players responded to our demands. " On Buendia after his concussion sub: "I saw him and he's recovering. Hopefully it's not more [serious], but he is still getting better. " Aston Villa: Martinez (6), Cash (7), Konsa (7), Torres (7), Digne (7), Bogarde (8), Kamara (8), Malen (8), Rogers (7), Mc Ginn (7), Watkins (7).
Subs: Guessand (6), Buendia (6), Lindelof (n/a), Barkely (n/a), Onana (n/a), Maatsen (n/a).
Burnley: Dubravka (7), Walker (7), Laurent (6), Tuanzebe (7), Esteve (6), Hartman (7), Tchaouna (6), Cullen (6), Florentino (6), Anthony (5), Foster (5).
Subs: Bruun Larsen (5), Broja (5), Ugochukwu (6), Flemming (n/a), Worrall (n/a).
Player of the Match: Donyell Malen. Burnley boss Scott Parker to Sky Sports: "I feel like I'm saying the same thing because at times today, I thought we were competitive and well in the game. "The goal came from them with pure quality and some mistakes from us. The second goal was poor from us and we're down to 10 men at that point and we need to understand the dynamics of that moment. "It's a young team and over the first seven games, we've probably affected the goals we've conceded by, at times, switching off. This is a deadly league and we're all learning that. "If you switch off for one moment, you get punished and for the second goal, you need to stay in the game at that point and we helped them in that, which is disappointing. "There were positives, which I say lightly because we're coming off another loss. But for parts, we looked a very good side. "I thought our reaction to get back in at 2-1, our endeavour was a huge positive for us. We just fell a little bit short today in some key moments. "There's frustration because I feel like we've been really close, but that's not what goes down in print. "
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