Aston Villa rode their luck in dramatic comeback win over Brentford

Aston Villa rode their luck in dramatic comeback win over Brentford but that is exactly what a title-winning team needs to do

  • Aston Villa came from behind to beat Brentford 2-1 in the Premier League 
  • Alex Moreno and Ollie Watkins scored the goals after Bees were reduced to 10
  • Is there now huge pressure on Newcastle to finish in the top four? Listen to the debate on It’s All Kicking Off

To lead a team to a title, a manager needs excellent players, a ruthless manner and a brilliant tactical mind. None of this is enough, though, without a huge dollop of luck at the right times.

With 70 minutes gone, Aston Villa trailed to Keane Lewis-Potter’s first-half goal and were showing few signs of breaking Brentford down. Then Ben Mee launched himself at Leon Bailey and was shown a red card after a VAR check — the right punishment for such a dangerous lunge.

That gave Unai Emery and Villa the opening they needed. Alex Moreno equalised six minutes later and five minutes from the end of normal time, Ollie Watkins scored the winner against his former club and Villa had passed an important test as they chase Arsenal and Liverpool.

Watkins’ angry celebration led to the chaotic scenes and more than 12 minutes’ stoppage time that saw Boubacar Kamara sent off for Villa and will surely bring an FA charge for both Brentford and the visitors. Watkins said he was pointing at a fan he believed was abusing his family.

Emery will be delighted with the result but knows his side got away with one. Without their midfield helmsman Douglas Luiz, missing through suspension, the Villa ship was drifting. Their passing lacked imagination and their high defensive line was exposed by Brentford’s quick balls into space.

Unai Emery’s Aston Vila came from behind to beat Brentford and keep up their good form

Yes, Villa were missing Luiz and Lucas Digne — also banned — and Youri Tielemans, along with long-term absentees Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia. But Brentford were hardly at full strength either, with Mathias Jensen, Rico Henry, Kevin Schade, Bryan Mbeumo and Ivan Toney unavailable, and have now lost five of their last six matches.

Yet away from home, Villa make heavy weather of teams who sit deep. This was their club-record 25th top-flight win in a calendar year but Emery is so exacting that he will be desperate to do better in these circumstances. It was similar last month at Nottingham Forest, where there was no game-changing moment and Villa lost 2-0.

‘They were very intense and after the red card we had more options to get into their box,’ said Emery. ‘We were adapting as Brentford were without key players, but they play with the same spirit and intensity regardless. We kept calm and came back well.

Ollie Watkins scored the winning goal in closing stages of the game to snatch the three points

‘We lost our minds after the winner for different circumstances but I am very happy with how we competed.’

Villa had started well but should have been behind in the eighth minute when Diego Carlos’ poor clearance fell perfectly for Mikkel Damsgaard, only for Emi Martinez to produce a fine stop.

There were glimpses at both ends even though the game was rarely fluent. Brentford wanted a penalty when John McGinn tangled with Mee inside the box. Villa broke swiftly, with Moreno denied. Matty Cash volleyed Pau Torres’ cross wide and Jacob Ramsey sliced Watkins’ knockdown past the post.

Brentford struck when Watkins’ attempt to clear Saman Ghoddos’ corner saw the ball drop for Lewis-Potter, who sneaked beyond the dozing Moreno to stab home.

Villa might have had a man advantage early in the second half when McGinn took Christian Norgaard’s boot on his shin and achilles. Referee David Coote opted only for a booking.

Kamara put a free header wide from McGinn’s corner and Moreno had to stop Mads Roerslev turning home Carlos’ mis-hit backpass. Then Martinez produced another super stop to keep out Yoane Wissa’s close-range header.

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Brentford’s task suddenly became harder. Mee flew at substitute Bailey, who had only just come on, and Coote upgraded his yellow card to a red. It was out of keeping with Brentford’s precise performance and soon it cost them, though Frank was sure his side should have had a spot-kick when Konsa barged over Neal Maupay.

McGinn slid the ball wide to Bailey and the Jamaican played a pitching wedge to the far post where Moreno headed in his first Premier League goal. Emery sensed a win and took off centre back Pau Torres for attacker Nicolo Zaniolo with nine minutes left.

Four minutes later, it paid off as Zaniolo won a corner. Ramsey’s delivery was imperfect but Kamara’s back-heel turned it into a beauty and Watkins headed past Mark Flekken.

That should have been that but Watkins had clearly been upset by something uttered from the fans behind the goal and ran into the net, appearing to point out an individual in the crowd. That led to the obligatory pushing and grappling session and it was some time before Coote could restore order.

Into 10 minutes’ stoppage time, Bailey nearly scored one of the great own goals with a backpass from just inside his own half that crept past the post. Brentford were already ticking with Martinez’s behaviour and when the Argentine grabbed a prone Maupay by the shirt, the fuse blew. Kamara soon saw red for seeming to move his head towards Yehor Yarmoliuk but Villa held on.


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