Stoppage time chaos as 97th-minute strike denies massive PL upset

Aston Villa wasted a chance to go top of the Premier League table for the first time since August 2011 in a dramatic 1-1 draw with bottom-placed Sheffield United.

Villa dominated much of the game but some contentious referee decisions saw a Leon Bailey goal disallowed and a penalty shout for handball denied.

Sheffield United came to life in the final 10 minutes, with former Villa striker Cameron Archer scoring in the 87th minute from a brilliant Gustavo Harmer cut-back.

In front of their home fans, Villa roared back into the contest and finally scored a goal of their own in the seventh minute of stoppage time through substitute Nicolo Zaniolo.

Zaniolo beat keeper Wes Foderingham to head home a Douglas Luiz cross.

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But it finished all square. the first time in 16 games – dating back 307 days to February – that Villa had failed to win at home.

The hosts enjoyed 78% of possession, 11 shots to five and nine corners to one, but could not convert their dominance onto the scoresheet.

Villa remain third ahead of a crucial clash between Liverpool and Arsenal that will decide top spot in the league, while the Blades rise off the bottom of the table, leapfrogging Burnley into 19th.

Since returning to take over as Sheffield United manager, Chris Wilder has taken four points from a possible 12.

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