Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Indonesia
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
North Macedonia

'The game-changer' - Villa star's unusual 'save of the season' hailed by Emery

talksport.com, 4 March 2025, 23:06
Aston Villa had yet another famous night away in Europe, but without Tyrone Mings, things could have been very, very different.

Unai Emery's side recorded a famous 3-1 win at Club Brugge, with two goals in the last ten minutes giving them a huge advantage ahead of the return leg at Villa Park.

Before that, though, they'd gone ahead through Leon Bailey, with Mings setting the Jamaican up with a glorious leap and headed lay-off in the box.

Maxim De Cuyper equalised for the hosts, and they should have gone ahead if it wasn't for some astonishing defending.

Former Norwich man Christos Tzolis whipped a world class cross into the box and Hans Vanaken sent the ball back across goal and inside the far post.

However, before it got there, a back pedalling Mings made the touch of a lifetime to send it just around the post.

read more aston villa news

Villa star Marco Asensio instantly creates unique piece of Champions League history

Marcus Rashford has arrived at Aston Villa - Manchester United's loss is Unai Emery's gain

Responding on TNT Sports Ally McCoist was in shock, saying: "I think that's the save of the season by Tyrone Mings... OH! That's the save of the season. That's unbelievable!"

On talkSPORT, his colleague Andy Townsend was in agreement, adding: "Tyrone Mings getting back manages to get the slightest of touches to prevent that from going in, it's an incredible touch.

"It's a brilliant bit of defensive work, if he doesn't touch that it's going in."

Chief football correspondent Alex Crook added: "Also, if he makes too much contact he puts it in his own net."

Most read in Champions League

Arsenal break two stunning records as they thump PSV to all-but secure quarter-final spot

Who could Arsenal face in Champions League quarter-finals?

Ethan Nwaneri instantly joins Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden in exclusive three-man club

'Where I got it wrong' - Carragher addresses AFCON comments that sparked online storm

Meanwhile, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand said after the game: "This is the game-changer, the game falls on that moment."

Adding his thoughts post-match, Emery made sure to pay tribute to the defender, saying: "We competed even more defensively than I wanted. We needed the goalkeeper, Tyrone Mings' save.

"We can remember the match we played before here with Tyrone. This time he saved a really important action.

"It's very important to get experiences. The first experience he had here was not good.

"Today, he reacted fantastic, playing focused and serious, saving one action which would have been a goal."

The Basque coach was referring to a league phase game between the two sides also in Belgium in November.

With the game 0-0, Mings mistakenly picked up a ball that was still in play, leading to a match-winning penalty for Vanaken.

Referencing that, and discussing his save, the 18-time England international said: "I was more than happy to come back here and play on this occasion and in this stadium again because I think we have unfinished business.

"That game last time had 0-0 written all over it but we lost and a lot was made of the goal. I said if it was going to happen to anyone I'm happy it happened to me."

On his clearance he added: "Even better was the ref giving a goal kick and not a corner, so a double bonus!

"That's what I'm there for, I don't think we were perfect defensively and we never will be but in those key moments it's important to come out on the right side."

Mings has had a tricky few years at Villa, with Steven Gerrard taking the captaincy off of him in July 2022, and then a year later the following season was ended by a serious knee injury.

The first Brugge encounter was Mings' Champions League debut, and Emery called the error 'the biggest mistake I witnessed in my career', so praise this time around will have certainly meant a lot to the defender.

Show more

Top News

18 March 2025 talksport.com Al Nassr are plotting a stunning move to sign Gabriel Magalhaes this summer, talkSPORT understands. 18 March 2025 talksport.com A trio of England under-21 players joined Thomas Tuchel's training session on Tuesday. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have confirmed that Cole Palmer has returned from the England squad to undergo further assessment on the injury he sustained before Sunday's 1-0 loss to Arsenal. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Continuing their quest for a first UEFA Nations League crown, Italy will welcome familiar foes Germany to San Siro on Thursday evening, as the pair play out the first leg of an enticing quarter-final tie. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal fans may have to wait until next season to see the best of Bukayo Saka ahead of his imminent return from hamstring surgery, Gunners expert Charles Watts believes. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Jean-Philippe Mateta injury was so severe his plastic surgeon refused to show him pictures of his ear. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Ultimately aiming to claim a first UEFA Nations League title, Germany will kick off their quarter-final clash with old foes Italy on Thursday. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey has suggested that Darwin Nunez could still have a future at Anfield, but not as Arne Slot's starting number nine. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Armenia host neighbours Georgia in Yerevan on Thursday evening, as the two nations fight for the right to play in league B of the UEFA Nations League. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Liverpool are ready to consider offers for striker Darwin Nunez, talkSPORT understands. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Austria host Serbia on Thursday evening, looking to gain an advantage in their two-legged playoff for the right to play in Group A of the UEFA Nations League. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Seeking a place in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals, European heavyweights Italy and Germany will convene at San Siro on Thursday, for the first leg of their quarter-final tie. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Luka Modric has reportedly decided whether he intends to remain at Real Madrid past the end of the season. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Leicester player Hamza Choudhury was mobbed by fans after arriving for his first senior international call-up. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea winger Mykhaylo Mudryk is allegedly the subject of surprise interest from a Bundesliga club. 18 March 2025 talksport.com A brand-new competition will be taking place this summer, with some of the world's biggest clubs eyeing glory in the USA. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Ola Aina had a hilarious response to discovering he would be sharing a bed with Alex Iwobi on international duty. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Arsenal have added Carabao Cup winning Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes to their list of summer transfer targets, talkSPORT understands. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Vying for a place in the UEFA Nations League's top tier, Scotland and Greece will meet for the first leg of their promotion/relegation playoff on Thursday. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Troy Deeney has reiterated his belief that Mohamed Salah is 'not world class' after his Wembley woes. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Papiss Cisse has been convinced to come out of retirement at the age of 39 by a former Newcastle teammate. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams at opposite ends of Group C in the third round of AFC World Cup qualifiers will clash on Thursday as leaders Japan face Bahrain. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Danny Drinkwater was once given just an hour to leave Chelsea and led to a bust-up with the manager. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have no hope of clawing back their 12-point Premier League deficit to Liverpool despite the Reds' recent problems, Gunners expert Charles Watts believes. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United and Bayern Munich are reportedly among the clubs who have discovered the asking price of RB Leipzig star Xavi Simons. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are one of three Premier League clubs who could reportedly pip rivals Manchester United and Chelsea to the signing of Sporting Lisbon's in-demand striker Viktor Gyokeres this summer. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brazil and Colombia go head-to-head in the 38th instalment of this international fixture in Brasilia on Thursday night. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk There will be no return to the Brazil fold for Neymar in their clash with Colombia on Thursday night, as he has pulled out of the upcoming squad with injury. 18 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal, Liverpool and Barcelona have all reportedly suffered a major blow in their pursuit of Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak ahead of the summer transfer window. 18 March 2025 talksport.com Thomas Tuchel not only raised eyebrows with his selections in his first England squad - but also with his omissions.