Ollie Watkins and Aston Villa found their footing at the end of a busy week, beating Bournemouth 3-1 at Villa Park on Sunday.
Watkins set up two goals and Leon Bailey had a goal and an assist, with Moussa Diaby also scoring after Villa went behind on Dominic Solanke’s 31st-minute penalty.
WATCH ASTON VILLA vs BOURNEMOUTH FULL MATCH REPLAY
Aston Villa are the lone remaining Premier League club active in this European season after navigating 120 minutes and penalties with Lille on Thursday to reach the Conference, and still have plenty to achieve in the English top-flight and now have 66 points to sit fourth.
Spurs are six points back with two matches-in-hand, and fourth place is their only route to the Champions League barring a miraculous turnabout in UEFA coefficient for England.
The Villans outlasted Lille in penalties to reach a Europa Conference League semifinal with Olympiacos, the winner facing either Fiorentina or Club Brugge in Athens on May 29.
Bournemouth are limping to the line, 13th with 33 points after taking just one point from their last three Premier League outings.
Emery, Watkins continue to burnish award credentials
If there was ever a game for Aston Villa to understandably falter, it was Sunday.
The Villans had beaten Arsenal last weekend and needed 120 minutes plus penalties to get past Lille in France on Thursday.
Surely Unai Emery, Ollie Watkins, and friends would struggle at least a little, and they did early at Villa Park. It was possession but not much else in an even first half that looked destined to end 1-0 to the visitors.
But a great team goal saw Morgan Rogers, who is really coming into his own, make it 1-1 before the break and Ollie Watkins, Moussa Diaby, and Leon Bailey took over in the second half. Watkins set up Villa’s other two goals, rarely looking like one of the few players who played all 120 minutes on Thursday.
Emery’s been well-admired as a tournament boss but this has been something else. He deserves real consideration for Premier League Manager of the Year if he holds off Ange Postecoglou and Spurs for fourth place, and Watkins is atop the PL assist list while also threatening to Golden Boot race. Player of the Year is not crazy.
Aston Villa vs Bournemouth player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Aston Villa vs Bournemouth player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Aston Villa vs Bournemouth player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Aston Villa are off until 3pm ET Saturday, when Chelsea come to Villa Park.
Bournemouth visit old pal Gary O’Neil and Wolves at 2:45pm Wednesday, then host Brighton at 9am Sunday.
How to watch Aston Villa vs Bournemouth live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 10am ET Sunday
TV Channel: Peacock Premium
Online: Premier League on Peacock
Aston Villa vs Bournemouth live updates — By Nick Mendola
Aston Villa vs Bournemouth final score: 3-1
Goalscorers: Solanke (pen 31'), Rogers (45+1'), Diaby (56'), Bailey (78')
Double stop
Deep in stoppage Bournemouth come close to pulling within one.
Solanke and Enes Unal are denied by Emiliano Martinez.
Leon Bailey goal — Aston Villa 3-1 Bournemouth (78th minute)
It’s good stuff, this one.
Diaby cuts a short pass through traffic to Watkins, who carries past an out-charging Neto.
He’s probably trying to score from an acute angle, but Leon Bailey makes sure with a tap-in one yard out from the line.
Watkins’ 12 assists now two clear of anyone in the Premier League this season.
Moussa Diaby goal — Aston Villa 2-1 Bournemouth (56th minute)
Morgan Rogers is having a game.
He sends Ollie Watkins behind the Cherries back line, and Moussa Diaby times his run perfectly to meet Watkins’ league-best 11th assist.
Halftime — Aston Villa 1-1 Bournemouth
The Cherries will feel they deserved the lead they carried into stoppage time.
Villa’s possessed the ball but Bournemouth has counter-attacked with intent.
Both teams have seven shots and it should be a second half for anyone if Villa can keep their legs.
Morgan Rogers goal — Aston Villa 1-1 Bournemouth (45+1' minute)
Good team goal with a vicious finish.
Morgan Rogers cuts back his man inside the box and pummels a shot that is barely deterred by the top of Neto’s shoulder.
1-1.
Bournemouth penalty — Aston Villa 0-1 Bournemouth (31st minute)
Justin Kluivert finds Milos Kerkez, and Matty Cash sees only one solution and it’s incorrect.
Cash’s sliding challenge in the box misses the ball and takes out Kerkez with his back leg. Not pretty.
Dominic Solanke goes to the spot. Will Emi Martinez repeat his penalty magic? Nope, it’s an arrow from Solanke.
Villa with possession but danger at a premium
Twenty minutes gone, and just a single shot of three attempts has found a goalkeeper.
It’s Thursday’s penalty hero Emiliano Martinez with that save, and we await a bit more entertainment here.
Does Villa have the energy for rested Bournemouth?
Villa beat Arsenal and then were taken to penalties after 120 minutes with Lille, while energetic Bournemouth just watched and prepared for them. Advantage Cherries, even at Villa Park?
Aston Villa lineup
Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne, Bailey, McGinn, Tielemans, Rogers, Diaby, Watkins
Bournemouth lineup
Neto, Kerkez, Kelly, Cook, Senesi, Zabarnyi, Smith, Cook, Christie, Ouattara, Kluivert, Solanke
Aston Villa focus, team news
OUT: Matty Cash (thigh), Boubacar Kamara (torn ACL - out for season), Emiliano Buendia (torn ACL - out for season), Tyrone Mings (torn ACL - out for season), Jacob Ramsey (foot), Douglas Luiz (suspension), Alex Moreno (calf), Nicolo Zaniolo (muscular)
Bournemouth focus, team news
OUT: Luis Sinisterra (thigh), Ryan Fredericks (calf), Marcus Tavernier (hamstring) | QUESTIONABLE: Antoine Semenyo (other), Chris Mepham (illness), Tyler Adams (lower back)