Unai Emery’s need to buy a new defender was exacerbated after Tyrone Mings, who only returned from more than a year out with an ACL injury in October, departed the field in tears in the first half to leave Ezri Konsa as Aston Villa’s only recognised senior centre-half for the last hour of this tetchy draw.
The Villa manager will have to make do and mend for this Wednesday’s crucial European game here against Celtic as, with Pau Torres out with a fractured foot and Diego Carlos having forced through a £10m move to Fenerbahce, the left-back Lucas Digne was asked to partner Konsa.