Ollie Watkins scores hat-trick as Aston Villa run rampant against Hibernian
Villa’s return to European football for the first time since 2010 was a triumphant one against a sorry Hibs side
Aston Villa have waited 13 years for their return to European football and here was a thrilling show to rival any of the entertainment at this month’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Unai Emery’s performers took centre-stage in the Scottish capital to produce a result which suggests their status as Europa Conference League favourites is fully deserved.
It was an embarrassingly lopsided contest at times and Villa’s path to next month’s group stage is assured, with Ollie Watkins the star man here with a hat-trick on his European debut.
Watkins displayed his predatory instincts with two headers and an emphatic finish from inside the penalty area, while defender Lucas Digne was also outstanding with a treble of assists.
⚽️ It’s a European hat-trick for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.
The English side have been devastating in Edinburgh.
Hibernian 0-4 Aston Villa
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John McGinn, the former Hibernian midfielder, made an emotional return to Easter Road for the first time and, while he was surprisingly booed by some of the fans who once idolised him, can reflect on a thoroughly professional job from his team.
What a start for Emery, the serial trophy winner and an undisputed master when the passports are rolled out.
His CV in knockout football across different countries is outstanding, with four Europa League titles – three with Sevilla and one with Villarreal.
It is that body of work which persuaded Villa’s owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens to make Emery the most highly paid manager of their tenure. The brilliant Basque coach is teaching supporters to dream.
“It is important for us to be in Europe and of course the plan is to take it seriously,” said Emery, who confirmed striker Cameron Archer is set to join Sheffield United for £18 million.
“You have to respect the competition and the mentality I want is what I got here.
“Football is very difficult and we are going to face difficult moments in this season, particularly in the Premier League.
“I want to do something and Europe is always special. Hopefully we can compete for a trophy, 42 years ago they won what [is now] the Champions League.
“Now this is the third competition in Europe but there are a lot of very good teams and doing something is very important for us.”
Unai Emery has an exemplary record in European football Credit: PA/Jane Barlow
Emery says he is inspired every day by Villa’s proud history, passing a replica of the 1982 European Cup on his way to the training ground office.
Those halcyon days continue to inspire the current generation, and Villa have waited a long time for a comeback on this stage.
They last competed in European competition in 2010, when they were knocked out of the Europa League by Rapid Vienna for the second year running, with a team including the likes of Emile Heskey and Stiliyan Petrov.
This trip to Hibernian always had the whiff of a gulf in class, with the resources of the home team significantly lower.
The Fringe Festival annually attracts some of the best performers in arts and culture to Edinburgh, and on Wednesday there were some decent footballers on view too.
Villa were pressing Hibernian back towards their own goal from the start and had already threatened before taking a 17th minute lead.
It was a brutally simple goal, with Watkins glancing Digne’s cross into the bottom corner.
Hibernian have endured two qualifying rounds already, beating Inter Club D’Escaldes and Lucerne, and the banging drums in the Famous Five Stand only got louder despite the early setback.
This first leg also had the significance of being manager Lee Johnson’s 500th game as a manager, at the age of just 42.
Johnson’s team did respond, with their intensity occasionally catching out Villa’s centre-backs Diego Carlos and Pau Torres in possession.
Their most promising moment came after a collision between Martin Boyle and Douglas Luiz in the Villa area but Spanish referee Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea waved away enthusiastic pleas for a penalty.
Villa put the game beyond the home team 11 minutes before half-time when Watkins converted at the far post, after Carlos flicked on Luiz’s corner.
Watkins was in devastating form Credit: Getty Images/Ian MacNicol
It then became a one-sided affair as Villa’s football intelligence proved too much. Leon Bailey headed in another Digne cross as Hibernian’s defence went missing.
Watkins completed his treble five minutes into the second half, crashing home from close range with the goal overturned by Var after the striker was initially flagged offside.
Villa added a fifth goal from Luiz’s penalty 14 minutes from the end, after substitute Bertrand Traore was upended by Lewis Stevenson.
Thursday’s second leg already feels like it could be the equivalent of a training exercise, and Emery’s latest European journey is up and running.
Match details
Hibernian (3-4-1-2): Marshall 5; Fish 4, Hanlon 4 (Bushiri 68), Stevenson 4; Miller 5, Campbell 5 (Doyle-Hayes 68), Newell 5 (Delferriere 88), Obita 4; Youan 4; Vente 4 (Doidge 68), Boyle 5. Substitutes Boruc (g), Jeggo, Le Fondre, Harbottle, Molotnikov, McAllister, Megwa, MacIntyre. Booked: Boyle.
Aston Villa (4-3-3): Martinez 6 (Olsen half-time); Konsa 7 (Cash 75), Carlos 6, Torres 7, Digne 8; McGinn 7, Kamara 7 (Tielemans 67), Douglas Luiz 7; Diaby 7, Watkins 8 (Traore 69), Bailey 8 (Duran 69). Substitutes Marschall (g), Cash, Chambers, Revan, Feeney.
Referee: Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea (Spain)
