The rain poured all afternoon in Birmingham and the wind swirled around Villa Park.
Amid the torrential downpour of Storm Bert, Unai Emery’s Aston Villa were facing a potential storm of their own until Ross Barkley salvaged a point against Crystal Palace, 13 minutes from time.
For Emery, four defeats in a row going into this game was a first in a managerial career spanning over a thousand games.
Not since November 2021 when a Villa side managed by Dean Smith lost five on the trot had they endured such a run.