Aston Villa 2 West Brom 2 - Report

In what proved to be a thoroughly entertaining clash at Villa Park - both teams played with plenty of attacking intent in a bid to give their fans the local bragging rights.

It was Dean Smith's side who started the brighter of the two teams and they opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Anwar El Ghazi slotted in a penalty after Ross Barkley had been fouled.

Albion pulled level with a spot-kick of their own when Matheus Pereira converted after Ainsley Maitland-Niles was tripped.

The Baggies then got themselves in front shortly after the re-start when Mbaye Diagne's strike was turned into his own net by Tyrone Mings.

Both teams created a numerous chances from that point with goalkeepers Emiliano Martinez and Sam Johnstone in excellent form.

The Baggies came close to getting a third when Ezri Konsa turned a corner against his own post.

At the other end, Davis smashed the woodwork following a goal-mouth scramble.

But in the end, it was the striker who had the last laugh with Davis slamming the ball home in stoppage time after some Kyle Bartley was caught in two minds on how to make a clearance.

The result means Albion now sit nine points from safety with just five games left to play. Villa are 11th.

Report

Speaking in the build-up to the game, Smith confirmed Villa don't currently have any plans to sign Barkley permanently once his loan from Chelsea expires.

But the boss still opted to recall the 27-year-old for the derby - with Barkley given first start in more than two months.

In what was a 4-2-3-1 formation, the former Everton man started in the number 10 role with El Ghazi on the left and Bertrand Traore on the right.

Up front, Ollie Watkins was the lone striker while Ahmed El Mohamady replaced Matty Cash at right-back following his red card against Manchester City.

On the bench, Wesley made his eagerly anticipated return to the first-team with the Brazilian having not featured since picking up a serious knee injury at Burnley 480 days ago.

Allardyce, having been left dismayed by his team's defending at Leicester,

opted to change both his starting XI and system for the trip to Villa Park.

Ditching the 4-2-3-1 formation that helped inspire the wins over Chelsea and Southampton, the boss decided to get an extra body in the middle of the park with Conor Gallagher earning a recall.

That meant a switch to a 4-3-3 system with Gallagher joining Okay Yokuslu and Ainsley Maitland-Niles in midfield.

Up front Pereira started on the right with Callum Robinson on the left and Mbaye Diagne the central striker.

The Baggies also made a change in defence where Semi Ajayi returned at centre-back at the expense of Dara O'Shea.

It was Smith's side who started the game on the front foot with Villa moving the ball around crisply in the opening stages.

And their positivity was rewarded in the ninth minute when - after a poor Pereira pass allowed them to counter - Ajayi ended up tripping Barkley inside the box.

El Ghazi stood over the resultant spot-kick with the winger calmly finding the bottom corner for his fifth goal in six matches against the Baggies.

Albion looked to respond instantly with Pereira curling a free-kick narrowly over from 25-yards.

Overall, the Baggies hadn't moved the ball as well as they would have liked.

But they won a penalty of their own midway through the half when a lovely cushioned pass from Townsend found Robinson in the box.

The former Villian then moved the ball onto Maitland-Niles who went down after receiving a kick from Ezri Konsa.

And that prompted referee Stuart Atwell to point to the spot with Pereira lashing the ball home to pull his side level.

Moments later and the Baggies were almost ahead with Pereira whipping in a wonderfully inviting free-kick.

And That was met by Yokuslu who powered a header just inches past the post.

While the game was proving very even as the clock ticked past the half-hour mark, it was still Villa who were moving the ball the better of the two teams.

But led by Pereira, the Baggies started to show more invention and creativity in the final third.

And they came close to taking the lead once again when their Brazilian talisman produced an outrageous piece of skill to back-hell his way past Douglas Luiz at the byline.

The former Sporting Lisbon man then picked out Maitland-Niles with a low cross but his powerful drive was beaten away by Emiliano Martinez.

Pereira was at it again just seconds later when - from just outside the box - he curled a free-kick against the crossbar.

Having weathered the storm, Villa showed they still carried an attacking threat just before the break when El Ghazi combined well with Matt Targett to reach the byline.

The Dutchman then stood up a cross which Watkins met but his tame header was claimed easily by Johnstone.

Albion entered the second half knowing they atill had an extra gear to find.

And within just a few minutes they were ahead when Johnstone hit a long ball forward.

It looked as though that would be dealt with by Konsa but his poor touch saw the ball presented to Diagne.

He then charged into the box before hitting a curling strike which deflected off Mings and into the net.

Villa responded and suddenly started getting a lot of joy down their left-flank with Targett whipping in a succession of dangerous crosses that Albion dealt with well.

Then on the hour mark, El Mohamady hit lovely a volley just outside the box which Johnstone beat away.

Allardyce made his first change in the 66th minute with Matt Phillips replacing Robinson.

It was Villa, though, who were now in the ascendancy.

Conor Townsend made an excellent block to prevent Watkins from getting a shot on target just six-yards out.

The striker then charged into the box after beating the offside trap only to see a powerful drive saved by Johnstone when he really should have scored.

Albion went up the other end and came a whisker away from grabbing the goal that would have put the game to bed.

Gallagher's corner was inexplicably turned against his own post but Konsa with Marinez then doing well to prevent the spinning ball from looping into the net.

Allardyce's men came close to getting that crucial third goal once again when an excellent ball from Gallagher sent Phillips away.

The winger then cut the ball back for Pereira. But from 18-yards he saw his strike well tipped over by Martinez.

With around 10 minutes to go, Smith brought on a second striker with Davis replacing Bartley - with Villa now playing a 4-2-4 system.

And almost immediately the forward hit a low drive that Johnstone again dealt with well.

Davies was really making his presence felt and he thought he'd pulled his side level with just minutes remaining.

A corner led to a huge goal-mouth scramble with the ball eventually falling for the striker.

Leaning back, he powered an effort towards goal which smashed the outside of the post before bouncing clear.

In the 90th minute, Smith brought on Wesley for Traore.

And in stoppage time, Villa managed to get themselves a point when Watkins nodded a long ball across the danger area.

That was collected by Bartley but the defender seemed to get caught in two minds on how to make his clearance.

And that hesitancy allowed Davis to nip in and poke the ball home just two yards from goal.

Teams

Villa: (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Elmohamady, Konsa, Mings, Targett, Douglas Luiz (Ramsey 77), McGinn, Traore (Wesley 90), Barkley (Davis 82), El Ghazi, Watkins.

Subs not used: Heaton, Hause, Engels, Taylor, Nakamba, Philogene-Bidace.

Albion: (4-3-3): Johnstone, Furlong, Ajayi, Bartley, Townsend, Yokuslu, Maitland-Niles (O'Shea 86), Gallagher, Pereira, Robinson (Phillips 66), Diagne.

Subs not used: Button Peltier, Livermore, Sawyers, Diangana, Grant, Robson-Kanu.