5 games that cost Roberto Di Matteo the Aston Villa job

After just 124 days in charge of the Championship outfit, Aston Villa have this morning sacked manager Roberto Di Matteo.

In a club statement, they said, “The Club decided to act following a run of disappointing results which has the left the team occupying 19th position in the Championship.

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

“The Club would like to place on record its appreciation to Roberto for all his efforts in helping rebuild the squad and wish him well for the future.

“Steve Clarke will take over as caretaker manager during the search for a new manager.”

So after mustering just the one win in his opening 11 league fixtures, leaving the Villa Park outfit just two points above the relegation zone, SHOOT takes a closer look and highlights the five key results that cost the former Chelsea and West Brom boss his job with the Villans…

August 10, 2016: Luton Town 3-1 Aston Villa (EFL Cup)

Luton’s Gray celebrates his goal against the Villans – Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

After suffering a 1-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday in their Championship opener the weekend before, at least the Villans would earn their first win of the season at the second attempt, against League Two opponents Luton, right?

Nope.

Despite Jordan Ayew giving the visitors the lead inside 13 minutes, Jake Gray equalised with a tidy finish ten minutes short of the interval, before a second-half strike from Cameron McGeehan, plus an own goal from defender Jores Okore, summed up Di Matteo’s evening at Kenilworth Road as Villa crashed out of the EFL Cup in the first round.

August 27, 2016: Bristol City 3-1 Aston Villa (Championship)

Bristol City boss, Johnson – Photo: Paul Roberts / Offside.

After their shock EFL Cup exit, Villa managed to seemingly turn around their league form, defeating Rotherham United 3-0 the next time out, before enduring draws against Huddersfield Town and Derby County respectively.

But what happened next was a repeat of their nightmare at Luton.

Jack Grealish fired the away side in front inside just five minutes at Ashton Gate, where Di Matteo’s men would hold a slender lead over fellow Championship side Bristol City until the hour-mark.

That was until the Robins roared back with three goals in 22 second-half minutes, as Tammy Abraham, Joe Bryan and Lee Tomlin earned Lee Johnson’s side their second league victory of the season, whilst condemning Villa to another 3-1 defeat after initially taking the lead away from home.

September 14, 2016: Aston Villa 1-1 Brentford (Championship)

Photo: Paul Roberts / Offside.

Although the ultimate outcome still earned Villa a draw, fans’ frustrations were clear to see after Di Matteo’s men once again threw away a lead and all three points.

With the club expected to challenge for promotion following their demotion from the Premier League last term, their inability to see the game out and record victories saw supporters start to question whether the Italian was the right man to try and guide the club back into the top-flight.

This time, summer signing Jonathan Kodjia had the hosts in front inside 19 minutes, only for the Bees’ John Egan to scramble home a late equaliser in the 88th minute.

Villa were now 17th in the standings, with seven points from their seven league outings.

September 27, 2016: Barnsley 1-1 Aston Villa (Championship)

Villa’s Ayew – Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

After further stalemates against Ipswich Town and Newcastle United respectively, next up was newly promoted Barnsley.

Now; given that the Tykes were in League One last term, with Villa in the Premier League at the same time, there should have only been one winner at Oakwell.

An away win was on the cards as Jordan Ayew found the bottom corner brilliantly after 61 minutes, but Villa’s self-destruct button was pushed once again in the dying embers of this encounter.

Sam Winnall headed in Cole Kpekawa’s cross on the stroke of full-time to see Di Matteo’s men throw away another valuable three points at the death – meaning the club had now dropped 11 points from winning positions in their opening 10 league games.

October 1, 2016: Preston North End 2-0 Aston Villa (Championship)

McCormack couldn’t pull a goal back from the penalty spot – Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

The final nail in the coffin, Saturday’s disappointing 2-0 defeat away to Preston.

The start of a new month, October, could not change the fortunes of Villa’s disappointing league form as Di Matteo’s last game in charge of Aston Villa came at Deepdale.

Preston, who started the day level on points with the visitors (10), but with worse goal difference, were in front inside five minutes as Ben Pearson beat goalkeeper Mark Bunn from 12 yards out.

Simon Grayson’s side then doubled their advantage shortly before half-time, with Jordan Hugill slotting home the hosts’ second strike.

To make matters worse, the normally prolific Ross McCormack had a penalty saved late on, before Di Matteo was out the door come Monday morning…