Fulham Falter as Watkins Fires Aston Villa to Fifth in the Table | OneFootball

Aston Villa’s Commanding Victory Over Fulham

Aston Villa continued their impressive start to the Premier League season with a 3-1 victory over Fulham, securing a spot in the top five after eight games. In a contest that saw both teams reduced to 10 men, Ollie Watkins’ decisive header marked his fifth Premier League goal of the campaign, maintaining Villa’s momentum.

Fulham’s Early Lead

The game began with an early surge from Fulham. Bernd Leno launched a long ball downfield, with Raul Jimenez capitalising on a one-on-one battle with Villa defender Pau Torres. After outmuscling Torres, Jimenez unleashed a well-placed left-footed shot into the bottom corner, giving Fulham a 1-0 lead and sending their travelling fans into raptures.

Fulham’s lead, however, was short-lived. Just four minutes later, Villa responded when Morgan Rogers’ 20-yard strike took a wicked deflection off Calvin Bassey, leaving Bernd Leno wrong-footed as the ball trickled into the net.

Martinez’s Heroics Keep Villa Level

Fulham were handed a golden opportunity to retake the lead when Matty Cash was penalised for blocking a Raul Jimenez header with his arm. The referee pointed to the spot, but Emiliano Martinez rose to the occasion, denying Andreas Pereira’s tame penalty with a low save. The missed chance seemed to deflate Fulham, as Villa began to assert more control over the game.

Watkins and Villa Take Charge

As the second half progressed, Villa turned the screw. Ollie Watkins, already in fine form this season, peeled away from Emile Smith Rowe at a corner delivered by Youri Tielemans. Watkins leapt high and powered a header past Leno, putting Villa ahead for the first time in the match. His fifth goal of the season highlighted why he’s becoming one of the Premier League’s most clinical forwards.

Fulham’s frustrations grew when centre-back Joachim Andersen was sent off for a cynical foul on Watkins, leaving Marco Silva’s side a man down. The situation worsened minutes later when Issa Diop accidentally turned Lucas Digne’s cross into his own net, sealing Villa’s commanding 3-1 advantage.

Late Drama as Villa See Red

Despite Villa’s dominance, their victory was marred by the late dismissal of substitute Jaden Philogene. The young winger received a second yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Reiss Nelson deep into stoppage time, leaving Villa to finish the game with 10 men.

Still, the result was never in doubt. This latest victory lifts Aston Villa to fifth in the Premier League table, their best start after eight games since the 1998-99 campaign. With Ollie Watkins in blistering form and the defence holding firm, Villa look like genuine contenders for European qualification this season.