Ollie Watkins scored a goal and provided two assists as Aston Villa dominated Sheffield United with a 5-0 win at Bramall Lane on Saturday, elevating them to fourth place in the Premier League standings.
Under the management of Unai Emery, Aston Villa secured their second win in six league games, bringing them level with Arsenal at 46 points in the standings. However, Arsenal has a game in hand. Manchester City, currently in third place with 46 points as well, has two games in hand.
“We approached the game with the mentality of winning second balls, fighting for every challenge, and then allowing our football to speak for itself,” Watkins conveyed to Sky Sports. “We had a strong start, and I believe we effectively finished off our opponents in the first half, providing us with a sense of comfort.”
Sheffield United, currently at the bottom of the table, holds the unfortunate record for conceding the most goals in the Premier League this season, with 59 goals. They currently have 10 points, sitting 10 points below the safety zone.
John McGinn initiated the scoring for Villa in the 12th minute, seizing the opportunity for a straightforward tap-in after Ollie Watkins’ shot rebounded off the post. The first half saw additional goals from Watkins, Leon Bailey, and Youri Tielemans, establishing a commanding 4-0 lead for Villa at halftime.
Emery expressed his satisfaction, stating to the BBC, “I’m pleased because, prior to the match, we were determined to respond. We managed to score goals, create opportunities, and successfully defend. Winning on the road is always challenging.”
It’s crucial for us to concentrate on each game. We’re genuinely pleased with our performance. Our level of aggression was exceptional.
Before Álex Moreno capitalized on defensive lapses less than two minutes into the second half, hundreds of United fans had already departed. Watkins delivered a cross into the box, and the unmarked Spaniard executed a powerful volley.
Watkins has become the initial Premier League player to reach double digits in both goals, securing 11, and assists, contributing 10, for this season.
“It’s actually a good night for me,” stated Watkins, who received a precise pass from Douglas Luiz for his 16th-minute goal. “It was crucial that we responded after the disappointing result against Newcastle earlier in the week, a 3-1 defeat on Tuesday.”
Vinicius Souza provided a moment of joy for the home crowd deep into stoppage time, but his goal was nullified for offside following a VAR review.
Although Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez spent a significant portion of the match moving around his goal area casually, he was called into action and made an impressive double save late in the game.
Chris Wilder, the manager of United, expressed that he and his team “need to offer an apology to our supporters.”
Wilder commented, “It was not up to the standard expected for our 30,000 Sheffield United supporters. Both my players and I must shoulder that responsibility. We were thoroughly outplayed, finding ourselves 4-0 down within the first 30 minutes, making any chance of a comeback improbable.”
He continued, “It’s an unpleasant experience, with no place to hide. As a manager, standing in the technical area for approximately 95 minutes, it felt like an eternity. The same goes for the players on the field.”
