Aston Villa vs AFC Bournemouth LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction
Follow all the action from Villa Park
Follow live coverage as Aston Villa face AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League today.
Manchester City are reigning champions after beating Liverpool to the finish line in a neck-and-neck 2021/22 title race where a comeback win on the final day of the season against Aston Villa secured a fourth title in five years for Pep Guardiola's side.
Jurgen Klopp's Reds were on course for a quadruple last season but were forced to settle for just an FA Cup and Carabao Cup win and will return trying to win the title again just as they did in 2020.
It was a dramatic season for Chelsea a year ago with Roman Abramovich now replaced by Todd Boehly as owner in west London. He will want an instant return on his hefty investment at Stamford Bridge while Tottenham, back in the Champions League, will want to kick on once more too.
It's not all about the action at the top though with Fulham, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest promoted to the top tier for 2021/22 and hoping to hold their own against the best English football has to offer and avoid the drop.
We will bring you all the action and updates from today's game in the live blog below:
Aston Villa vs AFC Bournemouth
After winning a free-kick on the right flank, more than 30 yards from goal, McGinn delivers the ball to Bailey on the right, but the latter's cross into the box is headed away to safety by the Bournemouth defence.
Aston Villa vs AFC Bournemouth
Bournemouth kick off, and we are back under way at Villa Park!
Aston Villa vs AFC Bournemouth
If Bournemouth are to prolong their winning streak versus Villa, they require an unlikely comeback after the interval: they have a record of W2, D0, L10 when trailing at half-time in the Premier League this season; Villa's record reads W6, D0, L1 when in front after 45 minutes.
Aston Villa vs AFC Bournemouth
A flying start from Aston Villa put the hosts in charge of a pleasingly open encounter, and it seemed they were set to dominate the first half from thereon in. Bournemouth bit back, though, after steadying the ship, and opened their hosts up on a couple of occasions; lacking only a precise final ball. Villa may feel they should have had a chance to double their advantage, given a strong penalty appeal was turned down, but they just about deserve their lead at the break.
Aston Villa vs AFC Bournemouth
In the first of two minutes indicated for stoppage time at Villa Park, Senesi is back on his feet and fit enough to resume duty in Bournemouth's back four.
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