EPL: Aston Villa Secures Crucial 3-1 Victory Over Fulham
Aston Villa defeats Fulham 3-1, marking their sixth consecutive league win over the Cottagers.
Fulham got off to a flying start, with Raul Jimenez heading in Sasa Lukic's corner after just three minutes. The visitors looked threatening, with Josh King having a penalty appeal turned down and Matty Cash escaping punishment for handball...
Fulham got off to a flying start, with Raul Jimenez heading in Sasa Lukic's corner after just three minutes. The visitors looked threatening, with Josh King having a penalty appeal turned down and Matty Cash escaping punishment for handball. However, Aston Villa drew level before halftime when Ollie Watkins lobbed Bernd Leno with clinical precision, ending his 11-game goal drought.
Aston Villa's momentum from their midweek European win over Bologna seemed to dissipate quickly as they fell behind in just the third minute. Raul Jiménez's clever run to the near post allowed him to meet Sasa Lukic's corner with a precise, angled header.
Jiménez's contribution to the match was limited, as he appeared to injure himself during the goal and was replaced by Adama Traoré. Despite this substitution, Fulham continued to press forward, with Josh King making a notable driving run on goal that was impressively denied by Emiliano MartÃnez.
Aston Villa had a golden chance to level the score when Calvin Bassey lost possession to John McGinn. However, the Villa captain failed to capitalize on the opportunity, sending his shot wide with only Bernd Leno to beat.
Fulham's Willian remained a constant threat on the attack, and he had a penalty appeal turned down when his shot appeared to hit Matty Cash's left arm before going out for a corner.
Aston Villa's fortunes changed when Ollie Watkins ended his seven-game Premier League goal drought with a stunning lob over Bernd Leno. Watkins latched onto Lucas Digne's excellent long ball and skillfully chipped the ball over the goalkeeper, leveling the score.
Just four minutes into the second half, John McGinn made amends for his earlier miss, firing a driven left-footed shot into the bottom corner. This gave Aston Villa the lead and seemed to leave Fulham shell-shocked.
The visitors struggled to recover from the blow, and Aston Villa sealed the win with a third goal less than two minutes later. Ollie Watkins set up Emiliano BuendÃa, who converted from close range, effectively ending the match as a contest.
Aston Villa pick up their first Premier League win of the season 📈 pic.twitter.com/oC6tAIvzEU
— Premier League (@premierleague) September 28, 2025
The match took a dramatic turn when Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano MartÃnez made an error, allowing Sasa Lukic to capitalize. However, Ezri Konsa made a crucial goalline clearance to thwart the Serbian player's effort, ensuring Aston Villa saw out the remainder of the match with relative ease.
This victory marked a significant milestone for Aston Villa, who secured their sixth consecutive league win over Fulham. This achievement surpasses their previous best run against any club since beating local rivals Birmingham six times in a row between October 2005 and April 2010. The win was a much-needed boost for Unai Emery's team.
Meanwhile, Fulham manager Marco Silva expressed frustration over refereeing decisions, particularly two potential penalty incidents involving Josh King. Silva claimed that his team was denied two clear penalties, which could have changed the course of the game. This loss marks Silva's seventh Premier League defeat in eight matches against Aston Villa, making it a challenging fixture for the Cottagers.
Post-match comments
Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn to Sky Sports: “That feels nice. With Wolves (after draw against Tottenham), you have your eye on the table. We are starting to play a lot better and today was so important.
“You have a moment where you can feel the pressure, but everyone put in the effort.
“We have been praised a lot over the last few seasons; you take the highs and lows. The criticism has been deserved; it's not been good enough.”
The second half saw Aston Villa take control, with John McGinn firing a low shot into the bottom corner from outside the box four minutes after the restart. Emiliano Buendia doubled the lead two minutes later, slotting home from close range after Watkins' clever pass. Despite some anxious moments, including a fine goalline clearance from Ezri Konsa, Aston Villa saw out the win, lifting them to 16th in the table with six points.
The victory provided much-needed relief for coach Unai Emery, who has endured a tough start to the season with two losses and three draws. Aston Villa's win showcased their character and resilience, silencing critics and boosting team morale. Watkins' goal was particularly significant, ending his scoring drought and earning praise from Emery and teammates, including captain John McGinn, who said Watkins would get "love and support" from the team despite recent criticism.¹ ²
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