Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has hailed his side’s defensive display after a hard-earned 1-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday.
England forward Ollie Watkins scored the only goal of the game in first half stoppage time, as Villa moved closer to securing a top-five finish at the end of the season.
Match Report
Both sides came into the high-stakes match, aiming to win to boost their European aspirations although it was the visitors who left the Vitality Stadium guaranteed of a spot ahead of next season.
Marco Asensio hit the post for Villa before Cherries goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga kept out Boubacar Kamara and Matty Cash with a double save.
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Then came the historical moment, when Watkins turned in a cross from Morgan Rogers in first-half stoppage time, to become the club’s all-time EPL goalscorer with 75 goals.
Although Jacob Ramsey was sent off in the second half, Aston Villa were much compact, shutting down series of Bournemouth attack as they kept a clean sheet and three points.
What Emery said
“For 38 matches, our first objective throughout Premier League is try to be consistent. Try to achieve our objective in it, individually and collectively, how we can feel strong for a long time.
Today we showed it. The players competed really well, it’s difficult here – Bournemouth are performing fantastic as well”, Emery said.
“We are going to play Tottenham at home and we are going to focus on this match only. It will be important the other results teams are getting. We have to do our work.”
The Spaniard who led the club to the quarterfinals of this season’s UCL before being eliminated by eventual finalists Paris Saint Germain over two legs, is now set to lead the team to Europe for a third straight campaign.
“Playing in Europe? I am so happy playing the third year in a row in Europe. Then if we can play in the Champions League? Better”, he continued.
“I told the players we needed to focus on the match for 90 minutes and extra time, and don’t watch the results or the time because we needed to be focused playing. If we scored the second goal? Better.”
What next for Villa?
Aston Villa are up to sixth on the standings, level on points with Newcastle United and Chelsea on 63 points.
They face Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United in the remaining two league games this season, with victories in both matches almost enough to secure a top-five finish.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
