High-flying Villa keep up unbeaten run with spicy win at Brentford
After losing four of their previous five matches, injury-hit Brentford came into this contest in a downbeat mood, especially after it was revealed that Bryan Mbeumo will miss three months of action through injury.
Unfortunately for the hosts, Mikkel Damsgaard spurned the chance to give his side an early confidence boost, as Emiliano Martínez dived low to his left to thwart the Danish midfielder.
Following a sluggish start to proceedings, the high-flying Villans started to flex their muscles as the first half drifted past the midway point. First, wing-back Matty Cash went close, steering the ball just wide from Pau Torres’ lofted cross, before Jacob Ramsey thrashed his effort off target.
Those missed chances proved costly for Unai Emery’s men, as Keane Lewis-Potter found the breakthrough on the stroke of HT. A corner from the left-flank broke to the grateful Brentford attacker, who prodded home his first PL goal.
There was still time for Yoane Wissa to find the net, only for the assistant’s flag to cut short his celebrations, ensuring the lead at the break was a narrow one.
Wissa threatened to score a legitimate goal just after the hour mark, but his header was smartly saved by the resolute Martínez.
After seeing his goalkeeper make an important stop, Emery turned to his bench in the hope of sparking a turnaround with the introduction of Leon Bailey and Jhon Durán.
Within minutes of his arrival, Bailey was on the receiving end of a dangerous tackle that earned Ben Mee his first red card in over 10 years.
Bailey then played a decisive role in pulling his side level, standing the ball up to the far post for Àlex Moreno to nod in his first goal in the English top-flight.
Not content with restoring parity, Villa completed the turnaround in the 85th minute when an unmarked Ollie Watkins headed home against his former club after Boubacar Kamara had neatly flicked on a near-post corner.
Although Kamara was sent off late on for violent conduct, the visitors held firm to claim a third consecutive PL victory that ensures they will finish the matchday in the top-three.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
