Aston Villa vs Sheffield United LIVE: Result and reaction as Premier League returns after 100 days
The 2019/20 Premier League season is back
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Aston Villa drew with Sheffield United as the 2019/20 Premier League season resumes.
After 98 days football in England returned to the field with Villa hoping to get a result to kickstart their push for safety at Villa Park. The Blades have far loftier ambitions and will have their eyes on an unlikely Champions League qualification place should things break right for them between now and the end of the season.
The match was an even affair blighted by controversy as goal-line technology appeared to miss the ball go over the line in the first-half denying Sheffield United a certain goal.
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Aston Villa 0 - 0 Sheffield United
30 mins: Douglas Luiz picks up a yellow card for a forceful tackle. He then brings down Sharpe to give the Blades another free kick which they make no use of.
Villa have looked sharp, they're structured when defending. Berge sends a cross into the box and Konta boots it out for a corner.
Aston Villa 0 - 0 Sheffield United
33 mins: Nyland comes off his line to claim the corner ball and he tries to send El Ghazi free with a long throw forward. Baldock is aware of the threat and intercepts the ball.
Aston Villa 0 - 0 Sheffield United
36 mins: Hourihane swings the ball into the box from a corner. Hause makes a decent run towards the near post but the ball hits his shoulder and goes out for a goal kick.
Lundstram picks up a yellow card as well.
Aston Villa 0 - 0 Sheffield United
39 mins: Robinson does well to deny McGinn a chance on goal. Villa send the ball up from the left wing and it's flicked on into the box. McGinn makes a cutting run to meet it with Robinson on his shoudler. The Sheffield United defender holds his ground and McGinn loses the ball.
Aston Villa 0 - 0 Sheffield United
42 mins: Oh no! Sheffield United win a free kick on the left hand side of the pitch. Norwood swings the ball into the box. It curls massively and Nyland grabs it on the far post. He runs into Davis and falls back into the goal pulling the ball across the line as he does so.
Michael Oliver looks at his watch, where the goalline technology tells him if the ball crossed the line. It says no and so does he. No goal.
Aston Villa 0 - 0 Sheffield United
45 mins: Two minutes added time at the end of the first half. Controversy over the goalline technology has denied Sheffield United the opener.
Aston Villa 0 - 0 Sheffield United
45+2 mins: Still nil-nil at half-time much to the bemusement of Chris Wilder and the tv screen of Sheffield United fans watching from home.
Aston Villa have got away with one.
It's goalless at half-time between Aston Villa and Sheffield United. Villa have been solid with Sheffield United a little underwhelming.
Norwood's free kick is the talking point of the first half. The ball having clearly crossed the line but goalline technology and VAR were absent.
Imagine Chris Wilder's reaction if Villa go on to win this 1-0.
Aston Villa 0 - 0 Sheffield United
Second half: Lots of questions for the referees about the Goal Decision System, which we hear is now working. Not that it helps Sheffield United.
The second half is gets underway.
Aston Villa 0 - 0 Sheffield United
48 mins: Targett lays the ball off to Hourihane and makes a run into the box. Hourihane slots the ball into the area looking for the return pass but Baldock holds up Targett and puts the ball out for a corner. The corner ball is whipped into the box but comes to nothing for Aston Villa.
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