Aston Villa suffered their first defeat of pre-season however one player stood out during the 4-1 loss to Columbus Crew.
Aston Villa’s pre-season tour of the United States got off to an unexpected start as Unai Emery’s squad lost 4-1 to Columbus Crew.
Cameron Archer scored the only goal as the Villans were blown away by the MLS side however, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Premier League club.
There were debut’s for new arrivals Jaden Philogene, Amadou Onana and Ian Maatsen, with one stealing the headlines for his display.
Aston Villa midfielder Amadou Onana impressed in pre-season debut against Columbus Crew
It was a result that epitomised the travelling Villa had done over the past few days, as mistakes helped Columbus to the win.
Archer got on the scoresheet although it was new arrival Onana who stood out for his debut cameo in claret and blue.
The Belgian came on in the 56th minute sporting the number eight shirt, impressing journalist John Townley who commented on the 22-year-old’s performance in his BirminghamLive player ratings.
Giving Onana a 7/10 match rating, the Villa expert praised the £50m arrival’s ability to make Villa ‘better’ despite being 4-1 down.
“Onana brought more stability in Villa’s midfield – it was no surprise to see Emery’s side control the game better after his introduction.
“Yaw Yeboah went in the book when he pulled on Onana’s shirt because he couldn’t deal with the midfielder’s power when he drove past him with ease.”
It was an encouraging yet unsurprising debut for Onana, who has shown such composure and stature in the midfield for Everton over the years.
Unai Emery won’t be surprised by Onana’s performance
Onana excelled against Columbus, highlighted as the Villans didn’t concede when the midfielder was on the pitch.
The Belgian simply did what he was brought in to do, as he dictated the tempo in the engine room, providing Villa with added stability which was crucial to the squad not suffering a heavier defeat.
The early signs are positive as Onana showcased what he does best in midfield, hinting at what he will bring to Emery’s side ahead of the upcoming season.
Given that Villa will start the campaign without Boubacar Kamara and Douglas Luiz, bringing in a midfielder capable of adding security in front of the defence was crucial.
It’s exciting to see Onana fit so seamlessly into Emery’s system as early as his first cameo, with plenty for the manager to work with ahead of the 2024/25 season.
