Soccer Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Sheffield United - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - December 22, 2023 Aston Villa's John McGinn during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Molly Darlington
(Reuters) - Aston Villa will be disappointed to have missed their chance to go top of the Premier League after drawing 1-1 with Sheffield United, but midfielder John McGinn said the Midlands club should keep their recent results at Villa Park in perspective.
A goal deep into stoppage time by substitute Nicolo Zaniolo snatched a draw for Villa on Friday as United brought the hosts' 15-match winning run at home in the league to an end.
Villa are second in the standings on 39 points, level with leaders Arsenal, who face third-placed Liverpool on Saturday.
"We weren't at our free-flowing best. They were better at their plan than we were at ours tonight," McGinn said after Friday's draw.
"We're joint top of the league at the moment. We are disappointed we couldn't go clear at the top outright, but we need to put into perspective how good a run we've been on at home and it was bound to come to an end at some point.
"It shows the mentality shift that it feels like a defeat."
Villa next travel to Manchester United for a league clash on Tuesday.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard)
