Aston Villa were held to a stalemate away at Hull City on Saturday, despite creating enough chances to win the game.
Hull meanwhile are still yet to concede a goal this season.
Here are our Scout Notes from the MKM Stadium.
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ANOTHER HULL CLEAN SHEET
Three matches into a season is, of course, a very small sample size.
However, with seven points from nine – and three clean sheets! – Hull have started 2026/27 really well.
Defensively, they have been superb.
“In my opinion, defence wins titles and of course, our title is to stay in the league. 100%. You will always create some chances.” – Sergej Jakirovic
John Egan (£4.0m), who was Hull’s best defender on Saturday, also discussed their defensive strength.
“A lot of work goes into it on the training pitch. It probably started in the play-offs last year when we moved to this shape, and we have a lot of experienced players. We’ve got lads who want to work together and defend for each other. So far so good. We just have to keep improving.” – John Egan
No team has had less of the ball this season than Hull (28%), but they are comfortable without possession, with their low block proving difficult to break down.
Goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis (£4.6m), plus centre-backs Semi Ajayi (£4.1m), Nobel Mendy (£4.0m) and Egan, are subsequently offering excellent value in their respective positions.
Further forward, winger Mohamed Belloumi (£5.0m) hit the crossbar on Saturday, with the majority of Hull’s attacks funnelled down his flank.
Oli McBurnie (£5.5m) also failed to make proper contact from a decent Ryan Giles (£4.0m) delivery late on.
£4.5M MIDFIELDER IMPRESSES
But despite Hull’s clean sheet, Villa really should have scored.
Emiliano Buendia (£6.0m), who was poor, and John McGinn (£5.4m) both missed big chances, while an early Nicolas Jackson (£6.5m) header drifted just wide of the post.
George Hemmings (£4.5m) was denied, too.
The youngster also supplied the cross for Buendia’s missed opportunity, which he somehow blazed over the bar from a few yards out.
Hemmings has now started all three of Villa’s Premier League matches this season, keeping Alejandro Garnacho (£5.9m) out of the team.
“George, he worked last year the whole year with us and played minutes. He is performing fantastic and getting better. He created one assist for Buendia. He is working in the intensity and the kilometres we need. He is doing it. I think he is a player now, clearly, to be in the Premier League.
“Then, we have other players who joined us who need to adapt to us in training, playing matches, and Garnacho is in this way. We need their performance to try to add things, working and getting numbers. Garnacho is in this way. How he is responding, George, is really fantastic.” – Unai Emery on George Hemmings, via the Birmingham Mail
But although Villa were on top for the majority of this match, they failed to convert their chances before both teams cancelled each other out for the final half hour.
SUZUKI HAUL
Villa also secured their first clean sheet of the season, of course.
Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki (£5.0m) in particular impressed.
Making just his second start for the club, his distribution was superb once more. Indeed, it was his pass out to Hemmings which started Villa’s best move of the match.
He also completed 36 of his 38 attempted passes (95% pass accuracy), made four saves and claimed the maximum bonus to total 10 points.
“Very good. Last week he played his first match, and he played fantastic. We conceded one goal, but he played very well. Today, he did another step forward more with a clean sheet. He dominated with the ball possession, adding him to build up and help us to be patient.
“Then, sometimes as well, he did good long balls to our strikers and wingers. He also dominated when we needed some actions defensively, with crosses and set-pieces.” – Unai Emery on Zion Suzuki, via the Birmingham Mail
A run of three games without a win is hardly ideal for Villa, who started last season poorly too, but the clean sheet is a positive.
They also have the likes of Johan Manzambi (£5.9m), Leon Goretzka (£6.0m) and Ibrahim Mbaye (£6.0m) to come in. The latter was an unused substitute at Hull, having only arrived on deadline day.
Elsewhere, Tyrone Mings (£4.5m) was preferred to Pau Torres (£4.5m) at the back, perhaps for his physicality. Maybe because Villa play against Club Brugge in the Champions League on Tuesday, too.
“Clean sheet and creating chances, then trying to [make] the next step forward, being more clinical. But this is the way, this is the structure we created and we built before, and again we want for the next weeks, months and years, hopefully get again.” – Unai Emery
MATCH ANALYSIS
