EPL: Aston Villa Overturn Leeds 2-1 in Thrilling Encounter

Morgan Rogers inspires Villa comeback win over struggling Leeds

Villa comeback stuns Leeds at Elland Road, extending unbeaten head-to-head run. Rogers inspires Villa to 2-1 win over struggling Leeds United.

It looked like Villa would be on the back foot again, but a handball gave them a reprieve...

Aston Villa staged a stunning comeback, overcoming a half-time deficit to beat Leeds United 2-1 at Elland Road. Morgan Rogers scored a second-half brace, netting the equalizer and winner for the Villans. Leeds had taken an early lead through Lukas Nmecha, but Villa dominated the second half, with Rogers' expertly taken free kick sealing the win.

The victory extends Villa's unbeaten head-to-head run against Leeds to six matches, moving them up to fourth place in the Premier League table with 21 points. Leeds United, on the other hand, remain in the bottom three, having lost five of their last six league games.

Unai Emery's tactical changes at halftime paid off, as Villa's improved performance saw them create numerous chances. Donyell Malen's cross set up Rogers' equalizer, and Ross Barkley's challenge on Pascal Struijk earned Villa a free kick, which Rogers converted to seal the win.

The first 10 minutes were intense, and they took the lead in somewhat lucky circumstances. Anton Stach kept a half-cleared free-kick alive, and Ezri Konsa's attempted clearance hit Lukas Nmecha, trickling over the line.

Aston Villa's response was pretty quiet, with Emiliano Buendia's free-kick drifting high over the bar - their closest attempt to equalize.

The first half was a bit of a struggle, to be honest. The game was stop-start, and the wet conditions weren't helping. But Leeds were coping better, and they looked more likely to score the second goal.

However, they were struggling to create chances, and when they did, Villa's goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was up to the task. He made a great save to deny Brenden Aaronson, keeping the scores level.

Aston Villa created their first real chance just before halftime, with Ollie Watkins' shot bending inches wide of the target - a stark warning to Leeds that the game was far from over.

Unai Emery wasn't pleased with the first-half performance and made a double change at halftime, looking to inject some fresh energy into the game.

The game turned around quickly after the restart, with Donyell Malen's wicked delivery being turned home by Morgan Rogers at the near post, equalizing for Villa. Rogers' deft flick completely changed the game's momentum.

Malen was playing with pace and energy, and almost put Villa ahead with a left-footed shot that deflected narrowly wide. The breakthrough finally came, and it was one of Emery's starters who made it happen - a goal that felt like a turning point.

Morgan Rogers' second-half double earns @AVFCOfficial their sixth win in seven, sending them into the top four ⬆️ pic.twitter.com/J2smoHDfIV

— Premier League (@premierleague) November 23, 2025

Morgan Rogers has been carrying Villa through some tough games this season, and he came up with another magic moment - a perfect free-kick that floated over the wall and past Lucas Perri.

It looked like Villa would be on the back foot again, but a handball gave them a reprieve. They held on, despite Leeds' late pressure, and secured a crucial 2-1 win.

Leeds had a point within their grasp, but Aston Villa held on to secure a 2-1 win. Emiliano Martinez made a crucial save to deny Pascal Struijk's header, and Villa claimed three huge points.

The win lifts them back into the top four, provisionally at least. A great result for Villa, who looked like they were in trouble at halftime.