Aston Villa 1-1 Bournemouth: Evanilson heads in a 96th-minute equaliser after Ross Barkley nets his first goal since returning to Villa Park as THIRTEEN yellow cards are shown by the referee

Jhon Duran is the proud and rightful purveyor of the tag as the Premier League’s super sub. But, for this afternoon at least, he will have to hand that title to Bournemouth’s Evanilson.

The visitors had barely threatened Emiliano Martinez’s goal all afternoon. But with the very last kick of the game, Evanilson found some space in the Aston Villa box and his glancing header from a free-kick left the Argentinian goalkeeper with no chance. It is somewhat ironic that it was Duran who had lost the Brazilian in the lead-up to the goal.

Evanilson snatched the headlines from Ross Barkley, who looked to have been the day’s inspired substitution when he put Villa deservedly ahead with 76 minutes played.

A point was the very least Bournemouth’s stand-in goalkeeper Mark Travers deserved, such was his inspired display.

There was a nervy moment early on when his moment of indecision almost allowed Watkins to set up Jacob Ramsey. Put that one down to blowing off the cobwebs.

Evanilson (left) headed his side level in the 96th minute to snatch a point for the visitors

Midfielder Ross Barkley had earlier scored his first Aston Villa goal since January 2021

Barkley (No 6) found the net with an unconventional volleyed finish inside the six-yard box

Minutes later, the same pair combined at the end of a slick, one-touch move, but Rogers fired over.

Villa continued to pile on the pressure. Only a full-stretch save from Travers denied Amadou Onana from a well-worked free-kick. Watkins, waiting to feat on any scraps left behind by the keeper, could barely believe what he had seen.

The visitors were almost made to pay for failing to play to the whistle after they stopped when it looked like the ball had run out of play. It looked as though Watkins had rescued it before finding McGinn who finished quite brilliantly.

VAR Matthew Donohue, though, ruled the ball had run out of play. If so, it was by the barest of margins. ‘It is tight, very tight, you would not want to be in Stockley Park right now!’ said former referee Mike Dean on Sky Sports.

Martinez had largely been a bystander but launched himself to his right to repel the rocket fired by Justin Kluivert’s right foot on 32 minutes.

John McGinn appeared to have put Aston Villa ahead in the first half but his goal was ruled out

McGinn’s goal was ruled out after a VAR review ruled that the ball had earlier gone out of play

Referee Chris Kavanagh signalled that his decision to award McGinn’s goal had changed

Then came an even better save from Travers to deny Ezri Konsa’s sweetly struck shot.

Villa began the second-half where they left off: on the front foot. Barkley fluffed his lines when a corner unexpectedly landed at his feet from a corner. So did Duran, much to the amazement of Villa Park.

But when Watkins’ dummy allowed Ian Maatsen to cross for Leon Bailey, who headed down towards Barkley, there was no reprieve this time for Bournemouth.

The celebrations from Emery were wild as he leapt up and down and fired first pumps to those sat behind the dugouts. Travers’ resistance had finally been broken.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was left frustrated as his side spurned several chances

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola saw his side move into the top half with the hard fought draw

Villa’s Matty Cash (right) and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo pictured battling for the ball

There was a nervy moment for Villa when Antoine Semenyo went down inside the box under a challenge from Matty Cash. Referee Chris Kavanagh, though, called it spot on and booked the Bournemouth attacker for simulation.

But then came Evanilson, whose brilliant header kick-started the pandemonium in the away end.