Aston Villa beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage in an eventful game between the two contrasting sides. Villa have one of the best attacks in the league, compared to Fulham, who notably struggle in front of goal, but it was chances galore at both ends as Ollie Watkins proved the difference.
Key Takeaways as Villa Find Form vs. Fulham
Watch: Last Word on Football looks at the domino effect ruining football
Aston Villa Prove They Have a Top-Four Striker in Ollie Watkins
Ollie Watkins has had his fair share of critics since joining Aston Villa, his own fans included, but he is showing that he has the class to lead Villa to a top-four finish and top-tier European football for the first time since 1983.
Watkins scored two in the game, the first showing classic striker instincts being in the right place as Fulham gave the ball away outside their own area. His turn and finish were exceptional, but his second goal was emphatic – a low strike from the edge of the box after a through ball from Youri Tielemans, which he buried into the bottom left with flourishing confidence.
He became the first player in the Premier League to register ten goals and assists this season and has never looked more deadly in front of goal. His form is vital as Villa push for a place amongst Europe’s elite.
Villa Win vs. Fulham Shows They Have Strength in Depth Despite Injury Woes
Aston Villa have a long list of players on the sidelines and were playing their first game since the long-term injury to Boubacar Kamara and the training ground hamstring strain suffered by Diego Carlos.
It was unclear what Emery would do to fill the void left by Kamara, but Douglas Luiz slipped into the number six role with ease, freeing up a spot for Youri Tielemans to occupy. Both players had sound performances, inspired by their midfield compatriot, John McGinn, who was once again infallible as he patrolled the pitch.
The return of Pau Torres could not have been timed better as he partnered Clement Lenglet in the back four. Although Lenglet was at fault for the Fulham goal, the pair were reasonably solid considering their lack of playing time together – but it was the quality of Emery’s substitutions – that showed their strength in depth.
In the 81st minute, Alex Moreno and Leon Bailey, who was once again electric down the right-hand side, were replaced with Lucas Digne and Moussa Diaby. Digne is an experienced former Barcelona and PSG left-back, and Diaby was one of the hottest properties in world football during the summer transfer window. This helped sure up Villa’s side and allowed them to see out the game without altering their tactics or formation. Although Emery will be looking to the return of Konsa and Carlos, they appear in good hands for the near future.
Fulham Lack a Clinical Goal-Scorer
It is no secret that Fulham struggled in front of goal. Their top goal-scorer in the league is Bobby De Cordova-Reid, with five goals, who is the joint 38th top goal scorer in the league. To put that into perspective, only Burnley and Sheffield United have a lower top scorer than the London club. This shone through today as they missed lots of good opportunities in front of goal, none better than Adama Troare’s in the closing minutes. They had 15 shots compared to Villa’s 12 and only converted one due to a poor piece of defending at the near post from Clement Lenglet. They are not in trouble yet, but you feel the poor form of clubs below them is keeping them afloat.
