Watkins inspires Aston Villa to win over Bournemouth to boost top-four hopes

What a week for Aston Villa: following up a memorable victory away to the Premier League leaders with a last-gasp shootout triumph in Europe, Ollie Watkins inspired them to this ultimately comfortable win over Bournemouth to stretch their lead over Tottenham to six points in the chase for fourth place.

If Watkins was most people’s man-of-the-match, tireless in his running and the creator of two more goals as Villa overcame Dominic Solanke’s early penalty to make it five home games unbeaten, then Emiliano Martínez was probably the biggest character yet again.

There was a moment just after the hour mark, with Villa having just gone ahead through Moussa Diaby, when the keeper responded to saving Dango Ouattara’s point-blank header by turning to the North Stand behind his goal and pumping his fists until they broke out with “Emi Martínez – world’s No 1”. There’s little stopping Villa at the moment.

Martínez was certainly given the big buildup by the public-address announcer before the game, after his penalty heroics in Thursday night’s Europa Conference League quarter-final, so, don’t you just know it, the spot-kick spotlight was soon shining on him once again here. This time however he was beaten by Solanke’s convincing penalty as Villa struggled initially.

The world’s No 1 goalkeeper, Villa’s very own penalty hero, World Cup winner, wind-up merchant extraordinaire, Martínez had also managed to get himself booked for a second time in the shoot-out in Lille but stay on the field to make the two saves that enabled Villa to reach their first major European semi-final since 1982.

He proved his mettle here with a stunning save at his near post from Justin Kluivert’s shot in the early stages as Villa, having made only two changes from Thursday night, struggled to find their usual home rhythm. Diaby, in particular, was slightly off the pace, and he missed his step when trying to convert Leon Bailey’s perfect tee-up.

So when Matty Cash, almost a forgotten hero from Thursday when he had scored the 87th minute goal that took Villa level on aggregate and into extra-time, slid in to take out Milos Kerkez, it was not against the run of play that Bournemouth took the lead. The crowd responded to their pantomime hero by chanting Martínez’s name as Solanke had to wait three minutes to take his kick. But Bournemouth’s leading goalscorer was not fazed, striking his 18^th goal of the league season into the top corner, brushing Martínez’s fingertips.

There was a pivotal moment nine minutes before the break that could have led this game to a very different denouement. Solanke was bearing down on goal, in down the inside-left channel, with the prospect of a 2-0 lead beckoning, when Ezri Konsa recovered to make a superb tackle tackle and clear for a corner. Cue fist bumps and high fives all round.

Villa’s relief broke out into rapture in first-half stoppage time. Bailey, from inside the centre circle, played an exquisite pass with the outside of his left foot to set Morgan Rogers running down the left corridor. The recalled winger composed himself, cut inside Adam Smith with a superb touch before shooting his second Villa goal high into the net.

Sure enough Villa took over in the second half, with Watkins particularly influential, running the show at times. Firstly the England striker took his time to measure the perfect pass for Diaby to slot in his sixth Premier League goal of the season.

Watkins did everything but score, his raiding runs both taking the pressure off his own team and helping get Villa up the field. Up on his own in the 75^th minute, he cut inside only to shoot just wide.

He helped safeguard the points for Villa shortly after however. Receiving the ball with back to goal, he turned his man superbly, using his strength, before laying the ball into Diaby who tried to play a return pass. Watkins managed to winkle his way onto the ball, blindside of the defenders, before rounding Neto, the Bournemouth keeper, and shooting across the face of goal. There, just in case, was Bailey to tap in his 10^th goal of the season.