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Grealish edges Zaha as Aston Villa impress in 3-0 win over Crystal Palace

  /  autty

Two of the Premier League’s greatest attacking talents went head to head at Villa Park on Boxing Day.

Jack Grealish and Aston Villa Villa side impressed as they took a 3-0 victory over Wilfried Zaha's Crystal Palace.

This was despite Villa being a man down for over half of the game, as Tyrone Mings got two yellow cards for separate incidents with Zaha.

Here, we analyse the effectiveness of Grealish and Zaha during the Premier League contest.

1 In the opening minute Zaha anticipates Christian Benteke’s through ball and leaves Tyrone Mings chasing his heels, only for Emiliano Martinez to beat out his effort.

15 Grealish loses possession on the edge of the Villa penalty area but shows another side to his game with a block to snuff out the danger.

30 Zaha shows great nous, and no little skill, to weave between John McGinn and Anwar El Ghazi and waits to be bumped over 20 yards out.

33 Grealish hangs a cross-field ball in the wind that causes panic as Ollie Watkins pursues, before Vicente Guaita races from his area to clear.

39 Zaha uses his physicality to bundle past McGinn and draw a foul from Mings that leads to a flare-up and yellow cards for the pair.

45 The Ivory Coast international tests Mings’ temperament in a one-on-one with a cute piece of footwork that lands the Villa defender with a second yellow card.

55 Zaha wins a free-kick from Matty Cash 30 yards out with Palace going nowhere.

75 Grealish shows great acceleration to keep the ball in on the left touchline and send Watkins surging into the Crystal Palace area to set up El Ghazi to score Villa’s third goal.