"When Southampton lost at Tottenham to confirm their relegation in April, their manager, Ivan Juric, weary and apparently beyond caring about diplomatic niceties, said he had expected his side to be technically and tactically inferior to other Premier League opponents but had been surprised by how physically inferior they had been. The Premier League is a step up from the Championship in every way."
"One of the reasons that, as a trio, they have started the season so encouragingly is that they have all reinforced with physically imposing players. For three-quarters of the first half at Elland Road, Villa struggled to live with Leeds' aggression. Had the hosts' ferocity been allied to slightly more finesse or guile, they could have in effect had the game won before Villa at last began to settle in the final minutes before the break."
Aston Villa defeated Leeds 2-1 at Elland Road after Morgan Rogers produced two remarkable finishes following Lukas Nmecha's early opener for Leeds. Villa recovered from a slow start to win nine of their last 11 matches in all competitions, with squad depth becoming decisive. Donyell Malen's half-time introduction shifted the game's momentum despite his continued scoring drought. Leeds have suffered five defeats in six and remain in the relegation zone, showing growing anxiety. Promoted teams have reinforced with physically imposing players, and for much of the first half Villa struggled to cope with Leeds' aggression.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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