Zion Suzuki horror own goal haunts Aston Villa to hand Fulham equaliser

Fulham helped cement Jamie Carragher’s argument that Aston Villa will never be Manchester United. No, they know how to grind out a point on a bad day and can go to Barcelona on Tuesday with some confidence.

Zion Suzuki’s own goal denied Unai Emery’s team a fifth win in six games after Nicolas Jackson’s eighth goal of the season had promised to lift a resurgent Villa back into the top third of the Premier League .

But while Villa were made to look below par by a Fulham side making it seven points from the last nine, the home supporters sang long and loud to make their manager know how much he is appreciated round these parts.

The Holte End did not wait long to voice their verdict on the spat between the former England international and the Villa chair. That this came within moments of the whole ground applauding the last post in honour of Remembrance Day was a reminder of the game’s preposterous inclination to take itself too seriously.

Villa fans seemed to be caught between two stools: those who thought Nassef Sawiris had overreacted to a pundit doing his job of seeking clicks, querying whether threatening legal action was going too far; and others who considered it as Villa standing up for themselves.

Carragher had admitted that his words were “clumsy and wrong” after telling Villa fans “to shut the fuck up” as they reacted angrily to his claims that Emery should want to manage Manchester United if Michael Carrick were to be sacked. It seemed like a storm in a teacup to many outsiders until Sawiris issued a statement promising to initiate legal action, presumably for defamation. “As custodians of this great club, we cannot stand still while the F word is directed at Villa fans,” Sawiris said.

That Emery has done a fantastic job at Villa is beyond doubt. Even after losing another tranche of top talent, with Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers and Emi Martínez heading up the exits last summer after winning the Europa League, the former Arsenal and PSG manager has resurrected the club’s fortunes yet again. They start seasons slowly, winning only two of their last 12 league games in August and September, but once he has cast his spell and integrated the new signings, Villa tend to get going; they had won eight of their previous 10 league games in October and November.

It must be galling to qualify for the Champions League twice in three years and yet still have your best talents lured away. So the idea that Manchester United could, in Carragher’s eyes, come and click their fingers and expect Emery to be unable to resist their faded grandeur evidently stuck in the throat of Villa fans and chair alike.

On the field, this was Villa’s chance to move up to seventh in the Premier League before Tuesday’s ultimate glamour trip, to Barcelona, before facing United themselves next Sunday.

John McGinn spurned his first penalty for the club (excluding shootouts), awarded after Sander Berge was belatedly adjudged to have handled Leon Goretzka’s header, when he thundered his spot-kick against the crossbar.

But while Fulham had plenty of the ball, with Oscar Bobb forcing a fine fingertip save from Suzuki, Villa appeared content to threaten on the counterattack. Indeed they took the lead in the 39th minute after Jackson was sent running down the inside-left channel by a perfectly swerved through ball from Johan Manzambi. The £65m striker showed immaculate control to weave into the penalty area and twinkle his toes past Timothy Castagne and David Affengruber and slot in his fifth goal in the last five league games.

Fulham, after two successive Premier League victories, continued to threaten in the second half. Antonee Robinson put over a brilliant left-wing cross from which Suzuki and the stretching Gonzalo García traded touches before the ball went out for a goal kick.

Then when Castagne headed on Alex Iwobi’s corner, both García and Shea Charles got a touch on the ball before it spooned up onto the roof of the net. Villa were riding their luck. But their fans kept singing loudly for their team, and for their manager. They may never be Manchester United. In this day and age, perhaps that isn’t such a bad thing .

Fulham’s dominance paid off, however, in the most unexpected fashion midway through the second half. Suzuki, who has understandably been lauded for his early-season form, had just saved a header from Iwobi when, from the Nigerian’s ensuing corner, under no pressure, he inexplicably dropped the ball just over the line.