Following the defeat last weekend, it has been quite a week for Villa supporters (and I’d imagine those within the club). Many felt that it was a massive missed opportunity, and it was still in many people’s minds before this afternoon’s game against Fulham at Villa Park
In a flat Villa Park, Youri Tielemans’ 12th-minute goal was enough to secure all three points for Villa. Once again, the Belgian midfielder was the standout performer all afternoon and rose the highest to head home from a John McGinn corner.
Villa could have doubled their lead, in a game of few chances, just inside the second half through Ollie Watkins, but he spurned the opportunity when it looked easier to score.
Frustrations inside the ground rose moments later when Ryan Sessegnon put the ball in the back of the Villa net. VAR correctly ruled it out as the former Tottenham man had handballed when trying to control the ball. Something the referee missed despite being close to the play.
Villa then managed the rest of the game out, giving the visitors very little to work with.
The home side could have doubled their lead late on through substitute Donyell Malen, but his effort smashed off the woodwork with the game ending 1-0.
What Unai Emery said..
“If we weren’t winning today, forget it completely. Today, we got more or less close to Europe. Wow, fantastic, brilliant. The best gift we can achieve after it is the Europa League or Champions League.
“Champions League, okay, we are going to try to get it, but we are not contenders. We are not favourites to get it because there is Nottingham Forest in front of us, Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle.
“But we will fight for it – Europe, and hopefully we can fight for the Champions League.”
