It has been a long time since Aston Villa accumulated this many points in their first eight Premier League games, a feat not seen since the 20th century. That season, they finished sixth, but they did not achieve anything as remarkable as defeating Bayern Munich. How high can the Unai Emery era take them? There are currently no signs of a plateau, with Villa closely trailing the top three teams in the division and securing victories in the Champions League as well. Since their loss to Arsenal in late August, Emery's team has embarked on a nine-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, with their latest win coming against Fulham, whose fans were already dreaming of European football next season due to their impressive early-season form.
Fulham, the hosts, largely contributed to their own downfall, as three consecutive home wins in the Premier League gave way to a comprehensive defeat. The outcome could have easily been different. Marco Silva's side took an early lead through Raúl Jiménez, missed a penalty that could have doubled their advantage, and played the final half-hour with ten men after Joachim Andersen was sent off. They posed a threat from start to finish.
However, Villa proved too strong to let such an advantage slip. Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, and an Issa Diop own-goal secured the win. Jiménez's opener, his 10th goal in 12 Premier League starts, came from a basic, long-ball tactic rarely seen in a league that prides itself on being the strongest in the world. A high ball from goalkeeper Bernd Leno sailed over Aston Villa's defense, where Jiménez easily outmuscled Pau Torres and slotted the ball neatly into the bottom corner, kissing the inside of the post on its way.
The visitors equalized just five minutes later, thanks to a fortunate deflection. Morgan Rogers' speculative long-range shot hit Calvin Bassey's leg and flew into the opposite corner, leaving Leno helpless. Both sides missed opportunities to score before halftime. Andreas Pereira's weak penalty was easily saved by Emi Martinez, and Morgan Rogers failed to capitalize on a wide-open net after Ollie Watkins' cross.
With the game in the balance, Villa took the lead when Watkins' brilliant header kept Colombian striker Jhon Duran at bay. Villa's task of maintaining the lead became easier when Andersen was sent off for pushing Watkins after the goal. Minutes later, Diop, Andersen's replacement, turned a cross into his own net, compounding Fulham's misery. The game ended with both teams down to ten men, but Fulham could not add to their tally.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
