Ollie Watkins settled a hard-fought encounter against his old club Brentford as Aston Villa boosted their hopes of a top-four Premier League finish.
The 49th-minute winner moved the visitors up three places to seventh in the table, and they are now just two points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester City, although Unai Emery’s side have played a game more.
A largely uninspiring contest was sparked into life by Watkins when he raced on to Jacob Ramsey’s pass down the left and cut inside to drive a low effort that flicked off Nathan Collins and past home goalkeeper Mark Flekken.
The England forward, who spent three years with the Bees, almost turned provider just over a minute later, finding space down the left channel to tee up Morgan Rogers to dispatch another effort past Flekken, only for it to be disallowed after a video assistant referee (VAR) review found Watkins had just strayed offside.
Keane Lewis-Potter struck the bottom of the right hand post as Brentford went in search of an equaliser. However, with on-loan Chelsea defender Axel Disasi particularly impressive in defence, Villa held firm to record their first league double over Brentford since 1947 and drop Thomas Frank’s team from 11th to 12th place.
Step Forward for Villa on Domestic Front
Villa took a massive step towards the quarter-finals of the Champions League with their 3-1 victory at Club Brugge in midweek. However, with numerous heavyweights still in the competition and the prospect of a last-eight tie against Liverpool or Paris St-Germain should they advance past the Belgians, this represented crucial progress domestically.
Villa’s struggles immediately after Champions League games have been well documented this term. They had failed to win their previous seven matches played immediately after a European game, collecting just three points in the process. Therefore, this win was a very welcome end to that unfortunate run.
Watkins maintained his fine form in front of goal against the side he represented until 2020 with his sixth goal in six matches against Brentford. In contrast, Disasi celebrated several key tackles exuberantly, suggesting he has fully embraced life at the Midlands club since joining just over a month ago.
Unfortunately for Brentford, they delivered a rare flat display on home soil. While they applied some late pressure, boss Frank was likely unhappy with his team’s performance, as Brentford appeared too passive for extended periods. Villa’s winner came when Watkins was allowed to run unopposed into their penalty area by Collins, who remained stationary as the ball deflected off him and into the back of the net.
In conclusion, this victory not only enhances Aston Villa’s chances of competing for European places but also marks a significant milestone in their recent performances. Will Villa maintain this momentum as they approach the final stretch of the season?
