Brentford 0 Aston Villa 1 - Report

The striker netted for the sixth time in six appearances against his former club as Unai Emery’s team won in the Premier League for just the second time this season after a European midweek.

Morgan Rogers also saw a goal ruled out by VAR but Watkins’ strike was enough for Villa, who kept just their fourth league clean sheet of the season.

Robin Olsen, making just his eighth top-flight start for Villa in place of the injured Emi Martinez, saved late from Kevin Schade as Villa held on for only their second away league win since October.

Analysis

Keane Lewis-Potter also hit the post for the hosts, who were left fuming by referee Jarred Gillett’s refusal to twice award them a penalty for Axel Disasi challenges on Schade.

Those nervy moments, on loan Chelsea defender Disasi was immense in a backline which recorded a rare shutout to earn a vital win in the race for Europe.

Villa are now up to seventh in the table, just one point outside the top-five. They do not play again in the Premier League until April 2. 

The absence of Martinez and Marco Asensio due to injury was the big pre-game talking point. Olsen entered the match with a less than stellar record, having conceded 28 goals in his 12 league appearances for Villa.

But late save from Schade aside, he was rarely called into serious action on route to keeping just his second Villa clean sheet.

Olsen was a spectator for much of the early stages but might have been beaten early had it not been for a vital challenge from Youri Tielemans to dispossess Yoane Wissa after John McGinn had been robbed in his own box.

Villa looked the more dangerous and it needed a headed block from Nathan Collins to prevent Jacob Ramsey’s curling effort from asking serious questions of Mark Flekken.

Tyrone Mings was then guilty of giving the Brentford goalkeeper a simple save after being found unmarked by Tielemans’ free-kick.

Olsen was eventually forced into action by a long-range effort from Keane Lewis-Potter. The save was simply enough, yet the manner in which the keeper grimaced and held his back after making it cause for concern.

Tielemans was conducting affairs when Villa had the ball and brought a smart save out of Flekken after advancing into the box. Ethan Pinnock then deflected the midfielder’s header over his own bar as the visitors continued to ask more questions. 

Four minutes into the second half, Villa made the breakthrough. A rapid counter attack left Watkins breaking into the left-hand side of the box and Collins allowed him too much space, the shot taking a slight nick off the defender and going underneath Flekken.

Within a couple of minutes Villa thought they had doubled the lead. Ramsey and Watkins combined again, the latter squaring for Rogers to finish low but after a lengthy VAR check it was deemed Watkins was fractions offside in the build-up.

From thinking they were two goals down, Brentford were re-energised, Wissa heading a corner over the bar at the near post.

There was then a nervous moment for the visitors when Axel Disasi took out both Matty Cash and Kevin Schade with a sliding challenge. Referee Gillett ruled no penalty and VAR agreed.

Disasi then did brilliantly to block Schade’s shot, before Lewis-Potter drilled an effort off the base of the post from outside the box as the hosts continued to push for an equaliser.

There was another heart-in-mouth moment for the visitors when Schade again tumbled under a Disasi challenge but again, referee Gillett was unmoved.

Schade’s frustrating day continued when Olsen denied him, diving to his right after being called into his most serious work of the day inside the final 10 minutes. Norgaard then thumped a volley wide following an almighty scramble in the Villa box.

Watkins had the chance to ease any nerves but shot straight at Flekken when sent through on goal late on.

Key Moments

49 GOAL Ollie Watkins fires Villa in front. His shot takes a slight deflection off Nathan Collins to beat Mark Flekken.

51 VAR Villa think they have doubled the lead when Morgan Rogers fires home, only for a VAR check to deem Watkins was marginally offside in the build-up.

Teams

Brentford (4-2-3-1): Flekken, Ajer (Ji-Soo 90+3), Collins, Pinnock, Lewis-Potter, Norgaard, Janelt (Jensen 75), Mbuemo, Damsgaard, Schade, Wissa Subs not used: Mee, Yarmoliuk, Konak, Maghoma, Morgan, Frederik, Valdimarsson (gk).

Villa (4-2-3-1): Olsen, Disasi, Konsa, Mings, Digne, McGinn (Kamara 61), Tielemans, Bailey (Cash HT), Rogers (Malen 90+4), Ramsey (Rashford 61), Watkins Subs not used: Torres, Garcia, Maatsen, Bogarde, Zych (gk).