Soccer-Aston Villa slump to 1-0 defeat by 10-man Brentford

New signing Tammy Abraham had a goal ruled out as Aston Villa's title challenge ‌stuttered again on Sunday with a shock 1-0 defeat at home by Brentford, who had to ⁠play more than half the game with 10 men after Kevin Schade got a straight red card. Abraham, who spent a period on loan at ​Villa during the 2018/19 season and rejoined from Turkish club ‍Besiktas on January 26, had a great chance to score in the 15th minute of his return, but Brentford keeper Caoimhin Kelleher kept cool and averted the ⁠danger.

Schade ‌was sent off ⁠in the 42nd minute after engaging in a tussle with Matty Cash and digging ‍his studs into the Villa defender but Dango Outtara gave the visitors ​the lead in stoppage time, snapping up the rebound from his ⁠initial attempt to put the ball across the box and rifling it into the ⁠top corner. Abraham thought he had levelled early in the second half but a VAR review found that the ball had gone ⁠out for a throw-in in the build-up and the goal was chalked ⁠off, condemning ‌Villa to a defeat that leaves them third on 46 points, seven behind leaders Arsenal. Brentford are ⁠seventh on 36 points.