A goal in the second half of Ollie Watkins against his former team turned out to be the difference because Aston Villa won a very necessary victory of the Premier League against Brentford.
Villa lacked winners 1-0 at the Gtech community stadium thanks to the Watkins strike on 49 minutes to give UAI Emery team a second championship victory in eight games.
Morgan Rogers saw a goal withdraw for the offside while Emery’s men defended themselves resolutely to see equality and take three important points.
The result moves villa to the seventh, a point behind Brighton and Chelsea.
For Brentford, the result was only their second defeat in six games and left Thomas Frank’s team in 12th.
Three points won 😤 #Beavl pic.twitter.com/hzlmrou1dp
– Aston Villa (@AvfCofficial) March 8, 2025
How the action took place
Brentford started the most brilliant and could have been ahead after only six minutes without the latest Youri Tielemans platform while Yoane Wissa was preparing to shoot after John McGinn’s error.
In what turned out to be a widely open first half, Tyrone Mings should have had a little more effort with a free kick, but the defender’s side feet was hit directly into the arms of Mark Flekken.
Tielemans then pulled another Flekken stop before the Belgian’s head was returned through the goal of his own bar by Ethan Pinnock.
After a safe first half, it only took three minutes from the second for the blocking to be broken. Watkins picked up the ball on the left of the villa before cutting inside and triggering a fierce strike that has nestled in the lower corner via a slight deviation.
Ollie Watkins breaks the impasse against her former club! 🔓
His sixth goal in six games against Brentford since his departure 🔥 pic.twitter.com/rb7wz9td3z
– Sky Sports Premier League (@skysportspl) March 8, 2025
A few seconds later, Watkins found himself in an almost identical position, but this time rolled the ball through the box to the inverse rogers who slammed at home.
But after a Var control, the goal was excluded for an offside against Watkins.
The game suddenly broke out in life. Wissa has dropped a header just above the bar whilex Disasi denied Kevin Schade with important blocks.
In 70 minutes, Keane Lewis-Potter had the best chance of Brentford when he rocked the post with a bottom by car from the edge of the box.
The effort of Keane Lewis-Potter blocks against the position! 💥 pic.twitter.com/ozplieorgc
– Sky Sports Premier League (@skysportspl) March 8, 2025
Watkins could have put the tie beyond the hosts when he ran with five minutes from the 90 to play, but the man in England went for a chipped finish which landed directly in the arms of Flekken.
In the end, the Miss would not be expensive. Villa, and Disasi in particular, have defended well to preserve the advance and give visitors three vital points.
Emery’s team will go into their second row of the Champions League in the middle of the week full of confidence.
