Aston Villa will begin the 2091/20 season in the Premier League after surviving a late scare against Derby County to win in the play-off final.
Jack Marriott’s 84th minute strike gave Frank Lampard’s side hope in the late stages of the tie, but goals from Anwar El Ghazi and Scott McGinn either side of half-time were enough for Villa to avenge last season’s Wembley defeat against Fulham.
Dean Smith’s side set the early pace in cagy affair and took a deserved lead when El Ghazi beat Jayden Bogle at the back post to convert Ahmed El Mohamady’s curling cross from the right.
Derby failed to improve and quickly find themselves two goals behind as a result of a second high-profile goalkeeping error in two play-off matches. Kelle Roos rose to collect a deflected short in the air but was beaten to the ball by McGinn, who got underneath the goalkeeper and headed into a vacant net.
Lampard turned to his bench and Marriott, via Martyn Waghorn’s touch, gave his side a lifeline with a controlled effort from inside the area.
1/23 Aston Villa vs Derby County player ratings
The Championship play-off final was filled with drama as expected with both sides putting it on the line to earn promotion to the Premier League
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2/23 Jed Steer – 6
Was dodgy with some of his footwork, but saved well when called into action
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3/23 Ahmed Elmohamady – 7
Did well to support Adomah against the ageing Cole and provided the cross for El Ghazi’s goal.
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4/23 Axel Tuanzebe – 6
May have been able to put Villa ahead early on had he got his footwork sorted out. Defended reasonable well.
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5/23 Tyrone Mings – 7
Showed great pace to keep up with the quick Derby forwards. Was composed in possession and started several attacking moves with forward passes from defence. A really impressive display ended early when he was forced off with an injury at the end.
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6/23 Neil Taylor – 6
Had very little involvement throughout but defended well when called into action.
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7/23 Conor Hourihane – 6
Did a good job in the middle to keep things ticking over and break up Derby’s attacks.
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8/23 John McGinn – 7
Doubled Villa’s lead by beating Roos to a looping deflection and heading into a vacant net.
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9/23 Jack Grealish – 6
Was lively throughout and was the driving force in many of Aston Villa’s attacks.
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10/23 Albert Adomah – 6
Was preferred over Andre Green for his experience but never really got going.
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11/23 Tammy Abraham – 5
Struggled to get involved early on and blew the one chance that came his way in the first half
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12/23 Anwar El-Ghazi – 7
Opened the scoring with a header at the back-post to crown a good start to the game for the winger.
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13/23 Kelle Roos – 4
At fault the second goal when he came to collect the ball in the air but was beaten to it by McGinn. Was very poor with his footwork throughout and seemed to fail at communicating with his defence.
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14/23 Jayden Bogle – 4
Failed to track El Ghazi for the opening goal and was punished for it when the Villa winger headed in.
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15/23 Richard Keogh – 5
Was a threat in the Villa penalty area and less of an obstacle in his own area.
PA
16/23 Fikayo Tomori – 5
Was out of position for the first goal and should have been better placed to defend the cross from the right instead of being sucked towards the ball. Poor throughout.
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17/23 Ashley Cole – 6
Did the best he could and used his experience to good effect but was overrun on that wing.
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18/23 Bradley Johnson – 5
Made a couple of crucial interceptions but did not make a huge difference.
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19/23 Tom Huddlestone – 6
Acted as a useful shield in front of the defence and used his impressive range of passing to quickly move the ball forward.
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20/23 Mason Mount – 6
Played some good defence-splitting passes from deep, but these were few and far between.
PA
21/23 Harry Wilson – 6
Failed to hit the target when presented with a chance to shoot. Did not really test the Villa defence with his dribbling.
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22/23 Tom Lawrence – 5
Was brought off in the second half after failing to get into the game
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23/23 Mason Bennett – 6
Tried hard to get behind the Villa defence but was second best against Mings on most occasions.
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1/23 Aston Villa vs Derby County player ratings
The Championship play-off final was filled with drama as expected with both sides putting it on the line to earn promotion to the Premier League
Action Images via Reuters
2/23 Jed Steer – 6
Was dodgy with some of his footwork, but saved well when called into action
Getty Images
3/23 Ahmed Elmohamady – 7
Did well to support Adomah against the ageing Cole and provided the cross for El Ghazi’s goal.
Action Images via Reuters
4/23 Axel Tuanzebe – 6
May have been able to put Villa ahead early on had he got his footwork sorted out. Defended reasonable well.
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5/23 Tyrone Mings – 7
Showed great pace to keep up with the quick Derby forwards. Was composed in possession and started several attacking moves with forward passes from defence. A really impressive display ended early when he was forced off with an injury at the end.
Action Images via Reuters
6/23 Neil Taylor – 6
Had very little involvement throughout but defended well when called into action.
Getty Images
7/23 Conor Hourihane – 6
Did a good job in the middle to keep things ticking over and break up Derby’s attacks.
AFP/Getty Images
8/23 John McGinn – 7
Doubled Villa’s lead by beating Roos to a looping deflection and heading into a vacant net.
Getty Images
9/23 Jack Grealish – 6
Was lively throughout and was the driving force in many of Aston Villa’s attacks.
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10/23 Albert Adomah – 6
Was preferred over Andre Green for his experience but never really got going.
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11/23 Tammy Abraham – 5
Struggled to get involved early on and blew the one chance that came his way in the first half
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12/23 Anwar El-Ghazi – 7
Opened the scoring with a header at the back-post to crown a good start to the game for the winger.
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13/23 Kelle Roos – 4
At fault the second goal when he came to collect the ball in the air but was beaten to it by McGinn. Was very poor with his footwork throughout and seemed to fail at communicating with his defence.
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14/23 Jayden Bogle – 4
Failed to track El Ghazi for the opening goal and was punished for it when the Villa winger headed in.
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15/23 Richard Keogh – 5
Was a threat in the Villa penalty area and less of an obstacle in his own area.
PA
16/23 Fikayo Tomori – 5
Was out of position for the first goal and should have been better placed to defend the cross from the right instead of being sucked towards the ball. Poor throughout.
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17/23 Ashley Cole – 6
Did the best he could and used his experience to good effect but was overrun on that wing.
Action Images via Reuters
18/23 Bradley Johnson – 5
Made a couple of crucial interceptions but did not make a huge difference.
Action Images via Reuters
19/23 Tom Huddlestone – 6
Acted as a useful shield in front of the defence and used his impressive range of passing to quickly move the ball forward.
Getty Images
20/23 Mason Mount – 6
Played some good defence-splitting passes from deep, but these were few and far between.
PA
21/23 Harry Wilson – 6
Failed to hit the target when presented with a chance to shoot. Did not really test the Villa defence with his dribbling.
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22/23 Tom Lawrence – 5
Was brought off in the second half after failing to get into the game
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23/23 Mason Bennett – 6
Tried hard to get behind the Villa defence but was second best against Mings on most occasions.
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Click through the gallery above to see how we rated the players at Wembley.
