Midlands | Aston Villa get their first league win of the season

Aston Villa 3 - 1 Fulham

Ollie Watkins ended his barren spell as Aston Villa fought back to beat Fulham and claim their first Premier League win of the season.

Author | Peter Grainger 

Stadium | Villa Park

Fans and players celebrate

The England forward had gone nine games without a goal, equalling the longest drought of his Villa career, but his first-half equaliser set the stage for the turnaround.

John McGinn and substitute Emi Buendia struck twice in as many minutes shortly after half-time, with the latter scoring his first Villa goal in over a year to put the result beyond Fulham.

Raul Jimenez had given the visitors a third-minute lead with a header, though he was forced off injured soon afterwards.

Fulham, who have managed just one win in their past 22 league visits to Villa Park, faded badly after a bright start. Villa, subdued for much of the first half, grew into the contest and seized control after the interval.

Ezri Konsa was required to clear Sasa Lukic’s effort off the line, but by then Villa had the match firmly in their grip.

Aston Villa needed this win

View from the stands

Unai Emery was not under pressure in terms of his job, but five matches without victory had stirred unease about the direction of the season. For a club with European ambitions, the flatness of recent displays was beginning to cause concern.

The victory over Fulham offers a chance to reset. Villa now head to Feyenoord in the Europa League with renewed confidence before Burnley’s visit in the Premier League, and the picture looks less gloomy after the narrow win against Bologna last week.

This was hardly a vintage Villa performance. They trailed to Raúl Jiménez’s header and relied in part on Fulham leaving the door open, but they found a way to turn the match. Ollie Watkins’ equaliser was as significant as the result itself, ending a run of nine games without a goal.

Watkins scored 16 times in the league last season and, with little back-up behind him, remains central to Villa’s prospects. His return to the scoresheet capped a much-needed if unspectacular victory.