Aston Villa 3 Fulham 1
Unai Emery’s side welcomed Fulham to Villa Park, with a home record any side would be envious of. Aston Villa had won their last twelve consecutive games and were looking to extend that run at the expense of Marco Silva’s side.
McGinn released Tielemans down the left, who got to the byline but could not find a cross, instead opting to lay it off to Digne. He spotted the run of Diaby and played an inch-perfect pass but Leno saved for Fulham when Villa should have opened the scoring.
Aston Villa are brimming with confidence at home and played some neat one-touch passing before Watkins looked to get a shot off but while his effort was blocked, the players appealed for handball and the referee immediately pointed to the spot.
Castagne was adamant that he did not touch it but referee Simon Hooper is never one to let facts get in the way of his decisions. Fortunately for the visitors, VAR was to save them as they asked the calamitous official to go to the monitor to see how incompetent he is.
Credit: @AVFCOfficial
Luiz was pulling the strings in the middle and he released Tielemans down the left, his cross was completely missed by Diaby but as keeper Leno also failed to get a touch it struck the shins of Robinson as he sent it into his own net.
It was then the turn of ‘super’ John McGinn to double the lead as he hit a left-footed shot from the edge of the box into the bottom corner. The Scottish midfielder is having one of his best seasons in a Villa shirt and celebrated in his trademark style.
Fulham almost got themselves back into the game after the break as Jimenez got a shot away but Martinez got the slightest of touches to take it onto the post and Willian blazed the rebound over as Marco Silva had his head in his hands.
From a Fulham corner, Robinson slipped and gifted the ball to Villa, they broke downfield and Bailey played the ball across the box for Watkins to tap in at the back post. The Fulham defender was having the sort of game that should come with an 18 certificate.
Robinson managed to make sure he was allowed back on the team bus as he turned provider, bursting through the middle and then he unselfishly laid it on a plate for Jimenez to get a long overdue goal.
It was the Mexican’s first goal since March 2022, a drought so long in the making there were rumours Bob Geldof was getting a concert together for him. Hopefully it will give the striker the confidence to go on a run of scoring for the Cottagers’ sake.
Credit: @AVFCOfficial
McGinn then did well down the left and cut it back to Tielemans whose effort came back off the crossbar only for Watkins to miss an absolute sitter as his header went wide of the goal. The England striker could not believe his luck, shocked by what had just happened.
It was one of the worst misses since a radar operator at Pearl Harbour thought the ‘blip’ that had been spotted on his screen was in fact American planes rather than the impending attack of the entire Japanese fleet.
Aston Villa deservedly took the points, Fulham struggled to cope with their attacking play all afternoon but will be pleased to see Jimenez on the scoresheet today. Emery’s side continue to dream of finishing as high in the table as possible, with a home record to envy.
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