Emi Buendia praised for 'selflessness' in Aston Villa's win at Everton

Buendia had only just come off the bench in the 63rd minute when Idrissa Gueye brought down John McGinn and initially held the ball, looking like he would attempt the spot-kick.

But after a brief discussion he gave it to Watkins, who beat Jordan Pickford to score for the fifth Premier League match running and break the deadlock at Goodison Park.

It meant Watkins became the first Villa player since Paul Rideout in 1985 to score in five straight league matches, while Buendia would get his reward when he bagged the visitors' second nine minutes from time to seal a fourth win in five away league matches under Emery.

The boss later revealed the players had decided between themselves who would take the penalty.

He said: “It was a very good decision by Emi Buendia, letting Ollie Watkins have the ball to score.

“That is the spirit I want. I don’t want to select for each match the penalty taker.

“I prefer to speak with them and those specialists, like they are, to share in those moments the penalty. This was the day for Ollie Watkins.”

Victory over the struggling Toffees moved Villa level with 10th placed Chelsea and halted a run of three straight defeats, in which they had conceded 11 goals.

Emi Martinez had earlier saved from Amadou Onana, while Tyrone Mings also cleared a Neal Maupay effort off the line with the game goal-less.

Emery said: “We lost the three matches before this and were conceding goals. You have to be – not worried – but alert when these games are coming.

“Today was amazing, in terms of our reaction, being competitive and being strong. We had focus for 90 minutes which was very good.

“Sometimes you need the goalkeeper to make saves and the defence to be strong and in the end, take our moment and be clinical. We did that today.”