Aston Villa secured their first victory since October with a commanding 3-1 win over Brentford at Villa Park, thanks to three first-half goals. The last time Villa tasted victory was 46 days and eight games ago against Fulham, but they surged back into the top half of the Premier League with a dazzling first 45 minutes. Unai Emery, the Villa manager, had never gone nine matches without a win before, but Brentford posed no real threat to extend that streak. Villa's goals came from Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, and Matty Cash, while Brentford's solitary point on the road this season was not enough to stop their dismal away form from continuing. Mikkel Damsgaard's effort after the break was in vain.
Tyrone Mings made his first Premier League start since August 2023, replacing Pau Torres, and Leon Bailey was brought in following their heavy defeat to Chelsea. Bees boss Thomas Frank opted for Vitaly Janelt and Yehor Yarmoliuk over Christian Norgaard and Mathias Jensen. After 15 minutes, Villa began to dominate possession, easing the tension at Villa Park. They took the lead in the 21st minute when Boubacar Kamara's exquisite turn set up Watkins, who then assisted Rogers to score a stunning goal. Villa doubled their lead when Watkins was fouled by Ethan Pinnock inside the area, resulting in a penalty that Watkins converted.
Emery's side continued to press and added a third goal just before halftime. Lucas Digne's cross found Cash, who finished emphatically. Brentford managed to pull one back in the 54th minute through Damsgaard, but Watkins missed a chance to restore Villa's three-goal advantage. Ultimately, Villa settled for a 3-1 win, marking a return to winning ways.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
