With Gareth Southgate watching on, Ollie Watkins’ electric hat-trick was the perfect glaze on yet another Aston Villa performance brought to you in association with Unai Emery.
Watkins has had Emery’s confidence since the moment the latter arrived in Birmingham 11-months back. So much so that in January, Emery sanctioned then top-scorer Danny Ings’ departure. Some questioned that wisdom, but Watkins’ run of 11 goals in 12 league games quickly vindicated Emery’s choice. And while the ink ran dry for a time, having opened his season’s account at Stamford Bridge last week, he finishes the weekend with 16 Premier League strikes in 2023 and three goals in front of the England manager – he may just have re-discovered his rhythm at an opportune moment.
The last of Watkins’ seven England caps came in March 2022. He played just over an hour, scoring in a 2-0 victory over the Ivory Coast. In less than a fortnight, England host Australia in a friendly at Wembley, before Italy visit for a Euro 2023 qualifier. With Callum Wilson missing from Newcastle’s match day squad on Saturday, and Ivan Toney still unavailable until early 2024, surely Watkins’ time has come? If not now, then when?
Either way, Watkins is revered by a Holte End who belted out his name in delight throughout a lunchtime dismantling of Brighton. There can be no tougher place to visit Villa Park right now. For the 10th consecutive Premier League match, Emery oversaw victory. This time it was at a canter, the type of afternoon where even 100 per cent cotton shirts would not have felt heavy. Brighton were simply blown away.
Three down at the break – via a Watkins double and a Pervis Estupiñán own-goal – substitute Ansu Fati pulled one back early in the second to give Brighton hope. And for 15 minutes, they threatened to make a contest of it. But then, on the break, Watkins grabbed his 50th strike for Villa, Jacob Ramsey came off the bench to curl in a fifth, and, deep in injury time, Douglas Luiz swept in a sixth.
The last time Villa went on such a streak at home was back in 1989-90. That year they surprised all by finishing second behind Liverpool. Current fiscal disparity makes a repeat feat unlikely, but the ease with which they cut through their much-heralded opposition was certainly a statement.
Much like when Newcastle visited in April, this was billed as a meeting of equals, a feast for the neutral. But instead, much like that lunchtime, the visitors barely got their gloves on, let alone used them.
Three times Emery and Roberto De Zerbi have met since their respective appointments; three times the former has triumphed. Much of Brighton’s success emanates from a central midfield pair who drop close to two centre-backs. From that square, the ball is zipped about between them and then, just when it looks like there may be trouble, flying, high-sitting, wingers are found. Except here that ball never came. Here Watkins, Moussa Diaby and Luiz disrupted Brighton’s rhythm. Here Villa were clinical, as incisive as a master butcher preparing fillet steak.
The opener came after some neat interplay on the left. John McGinn drifted inside and found Matty Cash’s run on Kaoru Mitoma’s blindside, and Watkins was presented with a simple chance from the square ball. Emery’s celebrations suggesting training ground repetitions had borne fruit. Var checked to see if Nicolo Zaniolo, standing in Jason Steele’s line of sight, was offside. Somewhat inexplicably, there was no intervention
Next came some individual Watkins brilliance. Joel Veltman was disposed in the Villa half, and Diaby set Watkins racing away. Cutting back, Watkins placed his finished low in the near corner.
Villa’s third came with a hearty dose of luck. Diaby’s initial strike was parried by Steele, the rebound effort was headed well wide before Estupiñán turned it goalward. Again, Var was involved, this time to check for a foul in the build-up. Again, Villa got the rub of it.
De Zerbi’s triple half-time substitution had its initial desired impact, but Emery quickly wrestled back control. Brighton’s high-risk approach leaves them vulnerable to days like these. Days like these are the stuff of Emery’s dreams. Every last piece fell into place.
