On his first ever start for Aston Villa, Harvey Elliott notched the club’s first goal of the season in their Carabao Cup meeting with Brentford. The midfielder, on loan from Liverpool, took advantage of a defensive lapse by Brentford’s goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson to find the back of the net just before half‑time.
Villa had been struggling to score in recent matches, going over six hours without finding a goal. Elliott’s strike broke that run, giving the fans something to cheer about.
Boss Unai Emery shook up his selection, welcoming Elliott and Jadon Sancho into the starting XI in hopes of igniting the attack. Villa looked more threatening as a result. Despite taking the lead, Villa couldn’t maintain it: Aaron Hickey produced a fine volley after the break to level for Brentford.
After 90 minutes with the score tied 1‑1, the game was decided by a shoot‑out. Villa came up short, losing 4‑2 on penalties. Still, Valdimarsson’s earlier error was overshadowed by his heroics in the shoot‑out, saving efforts from John McGinn and Matty Cash.
While elimination was surely disappointing, Elliott’s goal and overall presence were encouraging signs. For a player stepping into the squad in a full start, he showed composure, opportunism, and the kind of spark that could make him a key figure for Villa this season.