Championship
Aston VillaAston Villa1Sheff WedSheffield Wednesday2

Aston Villa 1-2 Sheffield Wednesday: Owls beat Villa in Bruce's 100th game in charge

Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce has won 46 and lost 31 of his 100 games as Aston Villa boss

Steve Bruce says he is "never going to walk away" as Aston Villa manager despite seeing his side booed off the pitch after losing at home to Sheffield Wednesday.

The Owls consigned Villa to their first home defeat of the season in Bruce's 100th game in charge of the club.

Wednesday took the lead just after the break when the ball broke to Marco Matias on the edge of the area and he fired a crisp shot into the bottom corner.

John McGinn levelled with a stunning volley that went in off the underside of the bar but Steven Fletcher scored Wednesday's winner with a header from a Joel Pelupessy cross.

After Villa dropped to 13th in the Championship table, Bruce acknowledged the supporters' discontent at the final whistle.

Bruce told BBC WM 95.6: "I can understand people's frustrations and disappointments but that's only the fifth time in my two years that we've been beaten here.

"It's difficult at the moment. No matter what I do, in some people's eyes I'm not going to be the right fit.

"There's nothing I can do about that. I will stay on the ropes and stay with it. That will never change with me. I'm never going to walk away from a challenge - and it's certainly been a challenge.

"In some people's eyes, I will never be the answer. That's obvious, but the one thing that changes it is results, so we need a few results. I do believe we've got the nucleus of a very decent team again, given time."

Villa, who have now won just three of their opening nine Championship games, allowing Wednesday - who won 2-1 at Villa Park for the second season in succession - moved above them to 10th.

After a slow start to the season, Wednesday, who host league leaders Leeds on Friday, have taken 13 points from their past six games.

Line-ups

Aston Villa

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Nyland
  • 27El Mohamady
  • 5ChesterBooked at 8mins
  • 15Jedinak
  • 21Hutton
  • 37AdomahSubstituted forBolasieat 68'minutes
  • 14Hourihane
  • 7McGinnBooked at 55mins
  • 10Grealish
  • 26KodjiaSubstituted forEl Ghaziat 78'minutes
  • 18Abraham

Substitutes

  • 4Tuanzebe
  • 6Whelan
  • 11Bolasie
  • 16Bree
  • 20Bjarnason
  • 22El Ghazi
  • 31Bunn

Sheff Wed

Formation 3-4-3

  • 25Dawson
  • 15Lees
  • 34Hector
  • 36Pudil
  • 24BakerBooked at 36mins
  • 8Pelupessy
  • 10Bannan
  • 42Penney
  • 20Reach
  • 9FletcherSubstituted forNuhiuat 78'minutes
  • 19MatiasSubstituted forLucas Joãoat 84'minutes

Substitutes

  • 6Fox
  • 7Onomah
  • 17Nuhiu
  • 18Lucas João
  • 28Wildsmith
  • 31Kirby
  • 37Preston
Referee:
David Webb
Attendance:
35,572

Match Stats

Home TeamAston VillaAway TeamSheff Wed
Possession
Home54%
Away46%
Shots
Home18
Away13
Shots on Target
Home4
Away5
Corners
Home3
Away7
Fouls
Home15
Away12

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Aston Villa 1, Sheffield Wednesday 2.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Aston Villa 1, Sheffield Wednesday 2.

  3. Post update

    Delay over. They are ready to continue.

  4. Post update

    Delay in match Daniel Pudil (Sheffield Wednesday) because of an injury.

  5. Post update

    Foul by Anwar El Ghazi (Aston Villa).

  6. Post update

    Daniel Pudil (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  7. Post update

    Offside, Aston Villa. John McGinn tries a through ball, but Yannick Bolasie is caught offside.

  8. Post update

    John McGinn (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Atdhe Nuhiu (Sheffield Wednesday).

  10. Post update

    Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  11. Post update

    Foul by Michael Hector (Sheffield Wednesday).

  12. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Lucas João (Sheffield Wednesday) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Adam Reach.

  13. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ahmed El Mohamady with a cross.

  14. Post update

    Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Joey Pelupessy (Sheffield Wednesday).

  16. Post update

    Ørjan Nyland (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  17. Post update

    Foul by Atdhe Nuhiu (Sheffield Wednesday).

  18. Substitution

    Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Lucas João replaces Marco Matias.

  19. Post update

    Corner, Sheffield Wednesday. Conceded by James Chester.

  20. Post update

    Attempt missed. Conor Hourihane (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Yannick Bolasie.

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Leeds95311971218
2Middlesbrough9531113818
3West Brom952222121017
4Sheff Utd95131511416
5Wigan95131411316
6Derby95131310316
7Brentford94321610615
8Bristol City94231411314
9Nottm Forest9351119214
10Sheff Wed94231414014
11Norwich94231313014
12Blackburn93511111014
13Aston Villa93421514113
14Swansea934276113
15Bolton9333912-312
16QPR9315715-810
17Birmingham916278-19
18Stoke92341216-49
19Rotherham9306614-89
20Reading92251213-18
21Hull9216916-77
22Millwall9135713-66
23Ipswich9054612-65
24Preston9126918-95
View full Championship table

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