Aston Villa’s winless run continues as Ross Barkley salvages draw against Palace

Ollie Watkins and Ross Barkley helped Aston Villa twice come from behind and earn a 2-2 draw with Premier League strugglers Crystal Palace.

A share of the spoils stopped the rot for Villa, who came into the match off the back of four straight defeats in all competitions, but it was hardly the ideal preparation for Wednesday’s European encounter with Juventus.

The four-game losing streak was the worst Unai Emery has had to endure during his 1,026 matches as a manager and things threatened to get worse when Ismaila Sarr stunned Villa Park with an early opener.

Watkins got the hosts back on level terms and they missed a glorious chance to take the lead as Dean Henderson stopped Youri Tielemans’ spot-kick before Justin Devenny dealt Villa with a sucker punch down the other end with his first professional goal 57 seconds later.

It was the same old story for Palace, who held leads at Everton and Wolves earlier this season, as they were unable to cross the finishing line with Barkley’s equaliser leaving them winless on the road this term.

Emery’s injury-hit side were forced into four changes as Lamare Bogarde, John McGinn, Barkley and Ian Maatsen came back into the team while Eberechi Eze was still missing for the visitors.

Palace got the early goal they craved when Jean-Philippe Mateta played a perfectly timed through ball for the running Sarr who expertly dispatched past Emiliano Martinez inside four minutes with his first goal for the club.

Villa reacted well but were lucky not to find themselves 2-0 behind as Sarr presented himself with another chance which he blasted straight at Martinez.

The home side almost found an equaliser with their first effort on target, but Henderson produced a fine save to keep out Watkins’