Aston Villa are now heavy favourites to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals after a solid win at Club Brugge on Tuesday night.
The Villans ran out 3-1 winners in the Champions League last-16 first leg, courtesy of goals from Leon Bailey, Brandon Mechele and Marco Asensio.
One of Aston Villa’s key moments in the game, however, was at the other end of the pitch, when Tyrone Mings pulled off a superb goalline clearance.
In the 69th minute of the game, Hans Vanaken’s effort towards goal was nudged just out of play by the £20million man.
Villa cult hero Thomas Hitzlsperger has now delivered his verdict on Mings’ display and made a big claim about how well he did.
Thomas Hitzlsperger hails ‘absolutely excellent’ Aston Villa star Tyrone Mings
Hitzlsperger said he’s “so pleased” with Mings and suggested that “every player sympathises with him” after his error in the group-stage game against Brugge.
The former Villa midfielder also described Mings as “such an authority in his defence” and claimed that his display against Brugge was one of the finest of his career.
“I’m so pleased for Tyrone Mings and I think every player sympathises with him, what happened in the first game in Bruges,” Hitzlsperger said on BBC Sport.
“With his injury, the way he has come back there was some scares in some games when he fell on his knee again, but he stayed on the ground and his defending was absolutely excellent.
“He’s such an authority in his defence. With Unai Emery, he wants his defenders to clear the ball and make recoveries.
“But also, the way he started the play and his exceptional clearance, coming back in and having the game of his life.
“Tyrone Mings, with that clearance at this stage of his career, that is one of his best performances to date.”
Villa fans were buzzing over Mings’ ‘redemption arc’. Meanwhile, Ally McCoist described Mings’ clearance as “the save of the season”.
How Tyrone Mings fared for Aston Villa against Club Brugge
Mings’ key moments from the game were his assist for Bailey’s opener and that amazing goalline clearance to keep the score at 1-1.
He delivered a strong display overall, winning all of his duels and registering an impressive seven clearances, plus one tackle.
| Tyrone Mings stats v Brugge | |
| Clearances | 7 |
| Total tackles | 1 |
| Dribbled past | 0 |
| Ground duels (won) | 1 (1) |
| Aerial duels (won) | 2 (2) |
| Touches | 72 |
| Accurate passes | 54/64 (84%) |
Mings also made seven passes into the final third and made two recoveries in the match.
Villa are next in action on Saturday when they head to Brentford in the Premier League, before hosting Brugge for their last-16 second leg next Wednesday.
