2020–21 Aston Villa F.C. season
The 2020-21 season was Aston Villa's 26th season in the Premier League. The 2020–21 Premier League season was Villa's 146th season in English football. It was [Aston Aston Villa|Villa F.C.|the club]'s 107th season at the top flight. In addition to the domestic league, Aston Villa participated in the EFL Cup, being eliminated by Stoke City in the fourth round, and participated in the FA Cup, being eliminated by Liverpool in the third round.
The entire season took place against the backdrop of the global COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated the players' compliance with strict restrictions on contact as well as a lack of fans at all Villa's home matches until the final day of the campaign.
Villa started the season with four successive league wins, matching a record which had stood since the 1930-31 season. Other notable statistics included inflicting a 7-2 victory over defending champions Liverpool, the most goals conceded in a single game by a defending champion since 1953.
Pre-season friendlies
On 25 August 2020, it was revealed that Aston Villa's first pre-season friendly would be against Bristol City. However, the location, kick off time and score would not be publicised until the match was finished.Competitions
Premier League
Matches
The 2020–21 season fixtures were released on 20 August 2020. The 2020–21 season officially began on 12 September 2020. However, clubs who had participated in the latter rearranged knockout rounds of the previous season's Champions League and Europa League competitions in August 2020 were allowed a further week to rest and prepare their squads for the new season. Villa's match away to Manchester City, originally scheduled for gameweek 1, was therefore postponed until later in the season, and Villa instead started their campaign on the following Monday night at home to Sheffield United. The Man City away fixture was eventually rearranged for 20 January 2021.On 1 December 2020, Villa's game at home to Newcastle United scheduled for 4 December 2020 was postponed following a Premier League Board meeting. Newcastle lodged a request with the Premier League to rearrange the fixture following an increase in positive SARS-CoV-2 test results received by the club the previous day, on top of four positive cases reported on 27 November 2020 for one non-playing staff and three first team players. The Board agreed to rearrange the game as a safety precaution. The match was subsequently rescheduled for 23 January 2021.
April
FA Cup
Aston Villa joined the FA Cup along with all other Premier League teams in the third round. The third round draw was made on 30 November 2020, by Robbie Savage on the BT Sport YouTube channel. In the week building up to their third round tie against Liverpool, there was a "significant" COVID-19 outbreak at Villa's Bodymoor Heath Training Ground. Because of this, the entire Aston Villa first team was forced to self-isolate, as well as Dean Smith and his backroom staff. On the morning of 8 January 2021, Aston Villa confirmed that they would be forced to field a team made up of players from the Under-18s and Under-23s squads, managed by Mark Delaney.EFL Cup
Aston Villa joined the EFL Cup in the second round. The second and third round draws were made on 6 September 2020, by Phil Babb on Sky Sports. The fourth round draw was made on 17 September 2020, also on Sky Sports.Squad statistics
Appearances and goals
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Goalkeepers! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Defenders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Midfielders
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Forwards
! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players transferred or loaned out during the season
Based on matches played until 23 May 2021
''Based on matches played until 23 May 2021''