Aston Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki went from being serenaded with a chorus of "world's No 1" to making a bizarre blunder that denied Unai Emery's side a third successive Premier League victory.
The Villa manager, however, preferred to focus on a string of important saves from Suzuki rather than the uncharacteristic mistake that allowed Fulham to collect a deserved point.
It all went wrong for the hosts just after the hour mark in a match where Fulham provided more than a few scares before finding the net in unexpected fashion.
Alex Iwobi, who had been denied superbly by a Suzuki save just moments earlier, swung in a corner. It was right on top of the Villa goalkeeper, who tried to keep it out but only succeeded in fumbling it over the line. A frantic attempt to gather the ball was in vain and goal-line technology confirmed the goal stood.
Suzuki appeared to have been put off by the presence of Fulham's Shea Charles, but Emery refused to single out the player for criticism.
"I prefer to speak about the saves that he made," the Villa manager said. "This is part of football. I think he played fantastically and he is doing a lot of saves so he can make one mistake. It is part of football. We can be mature about this.
"I still want to see consistency. Over the last five Premier League matches, we are winning three and drawing two. It's not bad but with our poor start it's not enough.
"We have to change our mind quickly for Tuesday against Barcelona. We want to test ourselves at this level."
Villa go to the Nou Camp with a 100 per cent Champions League record to their name this season. But they will need to improve on Saturday evening's performance to get a result in Spain.
As well as Suzuki's error, a 14th-minute penalty miss from John McGinn also proved costly.
It was awarded after Leon Goretzka, making his full league debut for Villa, saw his header hit Sander Berge's raised hand. Nobody appealed at the time but referee Sam Barrott was sent to the touchline monitor by VAR to review the incident and gave the spot-kick.
McGinn's attempt, however, hit the crossbar and the chance to take an early lead went begging. The Villa captain seemed a strange choice to take the spot-kick as he has only ever scored one career penalty, but Emery defended the choice, saying: "We analysed the penalty takers in the squad and it was McGinn here."
Nicolas Jackson was on hand to ease Villa's nerves before the break, though. the Villa manager had said before the game that the striker's goalscoring capability meant he was capable of matching the likes of Harry Kane. His assessment was backed up by Jackson scoring the opening goal, after 40 minutes, which summed up the striker in one moment of pure power combined with agility.
Collecting Johan Manzambi's superbly weighted pass, Jackson forced his way past two defenders before sliding in the goal that put Villa ahead.
Emery's touchline celebrations said it all as the Senegal forward continues to flourish under the man who knew how to get the best out of him at Villarreal.
Suzuki has also flourished under Emery and he kept Villa in the game with some superb saves.
When Antonee Robinson crossed for Gonzalo Garcia, his step over allowed Oscar Bobb in for what looked like his second goal in successive games. But Suzuki pulled off a stunning fingertip save. That had Villa supporters singing: "Zion Suzuki, the world's No 1".
Robinson put in another cross and Suzuki got a touch that was enough to make Garcia put his shot wide. Villa were living dangerously and the Japanese goalkeeper made another outstanding stop to keep out Iwobi's header. But then it all went wrong for Suzuki when he fumbled Iwobi's corner.
That allowed Fulham's recent revival under manager, Alvaro Arbeloa, to continue – they now have seven points from their past three games.
"We spoke at half-time about what we had to do," Arbeloa said. "If you want to win a game you have to fight and I think we have to believe in our way, we've shown we can beat anyone in the way that we play but we have to be aggressive.
"We created so many chances and at the end it's one point in a difficult stadium. I'm so happy with the second half because of the way we played, this is the team that we want to be."
10:22pm
10:20pm
10:19pm
"We started the game well. Fulham are a good side, not easy to win [against] but we came in front. We did well but in the second half we gave them more time on the ball. They have good players and they can make chances. We were unlucky with the goal but we tried to keep fighting. It is important not to lose these games."
On Zion Suzuki's mistake for Fulham's equaliser:
"It is frustrating because we do not want to concede goals but it can happen to everyone. Zion is a great guy, great goalkeeper. He will learn from it. We will support him and go again."
10:16pm
10:12pm
November 7: Fulham vs Newcastle
November 21: Manchester City vs Fulham
November 29: Fulham vs Bournemouth
December 3: Tottenham vs Fulham
December 6: Everton vs Fulham
Fulham take a point home with them - PA/Joe Giddens
10:06pm
November 3: Barcelona vs Aston Villa (Champions League)
November 8: Manchester United vs Aston Villa (Premier League)
November 21: Aston Villa vs Sunderland (Premier League)
November 24: Galatasaray vs Aston Villa (Champions League)
November 28: Ipswich vs Aston Villa (Premier League)
Zion Suzuki's error proved very costly - PA/Nigel French
10:03pm
Today:
Chelsea 2 Manchester United 0
Bournemouth 2 Leeds 0
Brentford 2 Nottingham Forest 0
Coventry 3 Sunderland 1
Hull 2 Ipswich 2
Manchester City 0 Brighton 1
Tottenham 2 Crystal Palace 0
Aston Villa 1 Fulham 1
Sunday:Liverpool vs Arsenal 4.30pm
Monday:Newcastle vs Everton 8pm
10:02pm
Possession:Aston Villa 45%-55% Fulham
Shots:16-14
Shots on target:3-5
Corners:7-7
Touches in opposition box:24-40
09:57pm
The final whistle is blown at Villa Park and both sides take a point from the game. Aston Villa took the lead through Jackson but Suzuki's blunder gifted Fulham the equalising goal. Fulham were fully deserving of a point this evening despite falling behind.
09:56pm
Aston Villa have a free-kick inside the Fulham half late on as Palacios needlessly brings down Jackson. This will go into the Fulham penalty area. Aston Villa take it short before Buendia clips it in. Barkley attempts an overhead kick and his effort is blocked. There are appeals for handball but even if it did hit Berge's arm he was right next to Barkley. It does hit the arm but that is never a penalty.
09:54pm
Garnacho has a shot blocked from just inside the Fulham penalty area.
09:51pm
Torres has already wasted one good chance with his head from eight yards out and there is another. That probably should have found the corner of the net.
There will be five added minutes.
09:49pm
Late double change for Fulham as Muniz and Larsson enter the fray.
Aston Villa are also making a late alteration as Garnacho replaces McGinn.
09:45pm
Chance for Aston Villa. Cash clips in a delivery from the right and Torres has a good chance from eight yards out but the Spaniard's header goes wide.
09:44pm
This game is there for the taking for both sides, although Fulham have been much the better side since the break and currently look more likely to get the winner.
09:41pm
Changes for both sides. For Aston Villa, they bring Barkley on for Kamara.
Fulham meanwhile bring on Palacios and Tete.
09:38pm
Cairney has not been on the pitch long but he is already into the book for cynically bringing down Mbaye.
09:38pm
Cash fouls King and is punished with a yellow card. That is already Cash's fifth yellow card of the campaign, which means he will miss their trip to Manchester United next weekend.
09:37pm
Fulham are carving Aston Villa open. Bobb drives down their right wing before cutting inside. As he approaches the Aston Villa penalty area, he plays it out to his left to pick out Iwobi in space. Iwobi could hit it first time but instead cuts back onto his right, which allows Cash to block the shot but it does spin behind for a corner.
Before that is taken, Cairney replaces Iwobi. The corner comes to nothing.
09:34pm
Fulham have not made any substitutions yet but based on the way they are playing, they really do not need to right now, unless anyone is exhausted.
09:32pm
You can hear the groans inside Villa Park as the home fans grow frustrated with their side's performance since the break.
09:32pm
Fulham deserved that equaliser and have been the better side in this game, especially since the break. It does feel like this game is for the taking for Alvaro Arbeloa's men heading into the final 20 minutes.
09:28pm
Unai Emery has unsurprisingly made a triple change as Mbaye, Buendia and Gomes come on.
09:26pmKey moments • Goals • Video
The Aston Villa goalkeeper has been outstanding tonight but that is a huge error. The corner is swung in by Iwobi from the left and Suzuki should simply catch it. He backpedals towards his own line and ends up dropping it. By the time he re-gathers, the ball has crossed the line and Fulham have an equaliser that they deserve.
09:25pm
Another save from Suzuki and Fulham spurn yet more great chances. Bobb's cross from the right side of the box falls right on the head of Iwobi, who should score, but his header is straight at Suzuki. Garcia then has a shot blocked that goes behind for a corner.
09:24pm
An important save from Leno. Maatsen's volley from the edge of the box takes a deflection off his teammate Torres, forcing Leno into a good reflex save. Had that gone in, it may have been curtains for Fulham.
09:22pm
The chances are piling up for Fulham but they still have not been able to take advantage of any of them. First Bobb has a shot inside the box blocked before Charles curls off target from the edge of the box.
09:21pm
Fulham are really knocking on the door. Bobb and Castagne work it well down the right, with the latter crossing from the right side of the box, forcing Torres to put it behind for a corner. Bobb's deliveyr beyond the back post is headed back across goal but Aston Villa frantically clear their lines. Aston Villa are under the pump.
09:19pm
You wonder if Unai Emery might turn to his bench imminently as Fulham are on top at the moment.
09:16pm
Fulham once more come agonisingly close to an equaliser. Castange flicks on with his head at the near post from a corner out on the left. Charles then flicks it towards goal but it hits his teammate Garcia and loops over the bar. Alvaro Arbeloa will be wondering how his side are behind in this game.
09:13pm
Fulham have started this half positively and have a corner out on the left. They take it short before Iwobi clips it in but the delivery is poor and easily cleared by Goretzka.
09:10pm
How have Fulham not scored there and got back on level terms? Robinson and Iwobi exchange a neat one-two on the left side of the box before the former sends in a dangerous cross. Suzuki does brilliantly to stick out a hand and the ball flies into the sliding Garcia, ricocheting off the forward and going wide. Suzuki has been crucial for Aston Villa tonight; without him having a good game thus far, Fulham may have scored a couple of times.
Fulham close to an equaliser - PA/Joe Giddens
09:06pm
We are back under way at Villa Park.
08:58pm
Possession:Aston Villa 47%-53% Fulham
Shots:7-5
Shots on target:2-1
Corners:5-2
Touches in opposition box:15-14
08:54pmAnalysis
It's half time at Villa Park and Unai Emery's side are 1-0 ahead thanks to that man Nicolas Jackson's eighth goal of the season. But Villa needed Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki to be on top form yet again.
Fulham almost took the lead when Antonee Robinson broke clear and crossed for Gonzalo Garcia, his step over allowed Oscar Bobb in for what looked like his second goal in successive games.
But Suzuki pulled off another stunning fingertip save following his impressive display against Manchester City last week. Cue a chorus of 'Zion Suzuki, the world's No1' from the Holte End. Wait, wasn't that Emi Martinez's song last season?
Villa went ahead five minutes before the break when Jackson powered his way past past two defenders to score after a superb pass from Johan Manzambi released the Senegal striker. Jackson's fancy footwork created an opening for him to score.
08:50pm
Bassey is into the book late on in the half for a foul on Kamara.
The first half is then brought to an end moments later and Aston Villa lead 1-0 at the break thanks to Jackson's goal. McGinn did miss a penalty for the hosts whilst Fulham have failed to take a few good chances.
08:49pm
Fulham have had some chances in the first half but have not been able to take advantage of any of them. King has the ball on the right side of the box and tries to pick out Garcia at the far post but there is just slightly too much on the cross.
08:46pm
King has a chance to equalise for Fulham but Suzuki is quick off his line to snuff out the danger. That is two big moments from Suzuki to prevent Fulham from scoring.
There will be four added minutes at the end of this first half.
08:40pmKey moments • Goals • Video
He scored two against Manchester City a week ago and he now has one tonight. He is found in space on the left by Manzambi and drives into the Fulham penalty area. Both Affengruber and Castagne should probably deal with the danger but somehow allow Jackson to cut inside onto his right and fire into the far corner to put the home side in front.
08:40pm
Garcia shoots from the left edge of the box and tries to catch Suzuki out at his near post. Garcia though drags his effort into the side netting as he goes in search of his second Premier League goal.
08:36pm
The Premier League has just posted this on X about the Aston Villa penalty:
VAR: "That's the hand right up and it hits it".
AVAR: "For me, his hand is in an unnatural position above his head".
REF: "After review, Fulham No.16 commits a handball offence with a hand high above the head. The final decision will be penalty kick".
08:34pm
Fulham should take the lead. Robinson does brilliantly on the counter-attack to drive down Fulham's left. His ball across the face of the penalty area comes all the way to Bobb, whose first touch is loose but still gets to the ball first. Bobb should score but is denied by Suzuki's big hand. It is a great save from Suzuku but Bobb should bury that opportunity.
Oscar Bobb knows he probably should have scored - Getty Images/Matthew Lewis
08:32pm
Affengruber brings down Jackson just outside the Fulham penalty area out on the left and the Austrian defender is booked. He tried to plead his innocence but I am not sure he has a leg to stand on with that one.
Aston Villa take it short before McGinn clips in a cross which is headed away.
08:27pmAnalysis
Fulham wasted a fifth minute chance and may regret it. Gonzalo Garcia crossed for Alex Iwobi who sent his shot over the bar.
Villa awarded a penalty in the 14th after a VAR review when Leon Goretzka's header hit Sande Berge's raised hand. No-one appealed at the time but referee Sam Barrott was sent to the touchline monitor to review the incident and gave the spot-kick.
But Villa captain John McGinn's shot hit the crossbar and bounced out again. It was a mystery as to why he took it with Nicolas Jackson available, but Villa are the team on top here.
08:25pm
Fulham are currently having to do a lot of defending, especially negotiating set-pieces. Affengruber is on hand this time to head away McGinn's corner from the right.
08:16pmKey moments • Video
McGinn steps up but his effort smashes into the bar. Leno dived the wrong way but there is too much power and loft on that effort. A massive missed opportunity for Aston Villa and the most relieved man inside Villa Park right now will be Berge.
08:16pm
Berge is pretty close to Goretzka but there is no reason why his arm is above his head like that.
It is adjudged to have been a handball from Berge and Aston Villa are awarded the penalty. That feels like the only decision the referee could come to in all honesty.
McGinn to take...
Handball against Sander Berge - PA/Joe Giddens
08:14pm
Another McGinn corner from the right is met by Goretzka. This time, the German gets his header on target but it is easily saved by his compatriot Leno.
There is a VAR check for a possible penalty. Is there a handball from Berge in there immediately after Goretzka got his head on the ball? It appears that it did strike Berge's hand and the referee is sent to the screen. We know how this normally goes...
08:08pm
Alysson goes down inside the Fulham box, wanting a penalty, but he is not going to get that.
Aston Villa do have a corner though, which McGinn delivers. His corner is met by Goretzka, who cannot keep his header down and it goes off target.
08:07pm
That is a big early chance for Fulham which Iwobi wastes. Bobb steals possession deep inside his own half and drives forward into the Aston Villa half. He then finds Garcia to his right, who delivers a cross from the right side of the box. There is a nick off Lindelof and comes to Iwobi near the penalty spot but he blazes his effort into the stands. At the very least, Iwobi should be hitting the target.
08:05pm
Is that an example of the time of the game contributing to a decision? Goretzka is pulled back by Garcia, who avoids a yellow card. Had that not been inside the first few minutes of the game, it would not have been a surprise to have seen a yellow card.
08:01pm
After the Remembrance tribute is impeccably observed by those inside Villa Park, we are under way in the final Premier League game of the day.
07:57pm
With this being Aston Villa's last home league game before Remembrance Sunday, Villa Park pauses to pay tribute to remember the fallen. Wreaths are laid in the middle of the centre circle before The Last Postis played.
Remembering the fallen - PA/Joe Giddens
Military personnel lay poppy wreaths on the pitch - Getty Images/Carl Recine
07:55pm
As the pyrotechnics go off, both sides emerge from the tunnel and we are moments away from kick-off at Villa Park. Here is a reminder of how the two sides line up this evening:
Aston Villa:Suzuki, Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen, Kamara, Goretzka, Alysson, Manzambi, McGinn, Jackson.
Substitutes: Bizot, Harwood-Bellis, Mings, Barkley, Buendia, Garnacho, Mbaye, Joao Gomes, Madjo.
Fulham:Leno, Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson, Berge, Charles, Bobb, King, Iwobi, Garcia.
Substitutes: Lecomte, Tete, Andersen, Palacios, Rodrigo Muniz, Cairney, Kevin, Larsson, Angel.
07:51pm
Look away now Fulham fans:
Games: 18
Aston Villa wins: 12Fulham wins: 1
Draws: 5
07:47pm
Today:
Chelsea 2 Manchester United 0
Bournemouth 2 Leeds 0
Brentford 2 Nottingham Forest 0
Coventry 3 Sunderland 1
Hull 2 Ipswich 2
Manchester City 0 Brighton 1
Tottenham 2 Crystal Palace 0
Aston Villa vs Fulham 8pm
Sunday:Liverpool vs Arsenal 4.30pm
Monday:Newcastle vs Everton 8pm
07:41pm
Zion Suzuki had big gloves to fill this summer after the sale of Emiliano Martínez but already appears one of the Premier League signings of the summer.
Aston Villa's new No 1 epitomises the vibrant energy of Unai Emery's revamped squad and is a goalkeeper perfectly suited to the modern game.
The Japanese international is Villa's own version of former Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson, who revolutionised English football with a vast range of passing from his own penalty area.
07:36pm
Of all the daft statements to have come out of Aston Villa – and I am including Doug Ellis's frequent claims that he invented the bicycle kick – it is hard to think of anything as absurd as suing a pundit for speaking the truth.
Jamie Carragher's common-sense declaration that Villa manager Unai Emery might consider a move to Manchester United – because it is a bigger club – has apparently inflicted such a deep wound to the self-esteem of Nassef Sawiris, the chairman, that he has initiated a legal complaint.
Sawiris's short statement , which he published on social media on Friday night, consisted of 37 ill-chosen words. It started by accusing Carragher of "unacceptable insults to the club and its fans", then concluded with the vainglorious declaration that "Aston Villa will not allow anyone to stop our ascension in English and European football".
07:13pm
ASTON VILLA XI TO FACE FULHAM:Suzuki, Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen, Kamara, Goretzka, Alysson, Manzambi, McGinn, Jackson
Subs: Bizot, Harwood-Bellis, Mings, Barkley, Buendia, Garnacho, Mbaye, Joao Gomes, Madjo
FULHAM XI TO FACE ASTON VILLA:Leno, Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson, Berge, Charles, Bobb, King, Iwobi, Garcia
Subs: Lecomte, Tete, Andersen, Palacios, Rodrigo Muniz, Cairney, Kevin, Larsson, Angel
Referee: Sam Barrott (West Yorkshire)
07:12pm
Aston Villa manager, Unai Emery, is giving a full Premier League debut to Germany midfielder Leon Goretzka against Fulham this evening.
The 31-year-old joined Villa on a free transfer in the summer, but a knee injury prevented him from making an appearance off the bench until this month's Champions League tie against Fenerbahce.
Asked what role Goretzka would have with Villa, Emery deadpanned: "The first one is to be available to play."
Emery had also made a cryptic remark about Nicolas Jackson and Johann Manzambi in his Friday press conference. The suggestion was that they had been merely rested for Wednesday's Carabao Cup defeat at Bournemouth.
But the Spaniard said: "For different reasons, not only rest."
Whatever he meant is unclear, but both start for Villa tonight.
Fulham have won their last two league games – against Hull and Coventry.
Manager, Alvaro Arbeloa, has made one change with Sander Berge replacing Hugo Larsson in midfield.
Villa are aiming to win three successive league games for the first time in this calendar year. The omens are good as they've beaten Fulham in their last seven league meetings at Villa Park.
06:58pm
Bournemouth 3 Aston Villa 0 (League Cup)
Aston Villa 2 Manchester City 1 (Premier League)
Aston Villa 3 Viking 1 (Champions League)
Newcastle 0 Aston Villa 1 (Premier League)
Aston Villa 6 Fenerbahce 0 (Champions League)
Fulham 0 Crystal Palace 1 (League Cup)
Coventry 0 Fulham 1 (Premier League)
Fulham 1 Hull 0 (Premier League)
Ipswich 2 Fulham 1 (Premier League)
Fulham 1 Manchester United 1 (Premier League)
06:50pm
06:49pm
06:46pm
Tonight sees a battle between two Spaniards at Villa Park as Aston Villa host Fulham. Both sides are looking to bounce back from disappointing midweeks having been knocked out of the League Cup; Aston Villa lost 3-0 at Bournemouth, while Fulham fell to a 1-0 defeat at home against Crystal Palace.
After a slow start to the season in the league, Aston Villa's form has picked up, which includes handing Manchester City their first defeat of the season a week ago. After this evening, Aston Villa have games against Barcelona and Manchester United before the international break but Unai Emery has insisted his full focus is on this game.
"If we are thinking after the match against Fulham, then we are making a mistake and we are completely wrong," Emery said. "We are prioritising the Premier League, and this is the message. To keep our consistency and demands means that each match is a test."
Having failed to win any of their first six league games, Fulham have now won back-to-back Premier League games, with consecutive 1-0 wins over Hull and Coventry, which has lifted them out of the relegation zone.
"It [managing in England] is a very tough challenge but I am so happy to be here," Alvaro Arbeloa said. "I am where I want to be and I am really enjoying my days. I want to win games and I think we are performing well but we need to improve.
"They [Aston Villa] are very compact, they defend so well and even with the ball they know what they have to do. And they have top players, and when you have a top coach with top players, normally you have a top team. I think right now he [Unai Emery] is one of the best coaches in the world. He is very, very good, he improves everything every year. It does not matter where he is coaching, he is doing an amazing job, and for me also it is a very good challenge to face him."
In the two league meetings between these sides last season, it was one win apiece; Aston Villa won this fixture 3-1 just over a year ago before Fulham won 1-0 at Craven Cottage back in April. Team news from Villa Park to follow shortly.
