Bournemouth 0-1 Aston Villa: Record breaking Watkins keeps Villa in the hunt for Champions League football | OneFootball

The faintest of touches from Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins brought up his 75th Premier League goal, making him the club’s all-time leading scorer in the history of the competition.

Also the leading English goal scorer in the division this season, Watkins’ effort was enough to secure all three points on the south coast against a well-drilled, but ultimately toothless, Bournemouth team, who themselves still have ambitions of playing in Europe come September.

As it happened

Beginning in a cagey fashion, reflective of the potential European positions up for grabs for both Bournemouth and Aston Villa, the first 45 minutes of this game had little to show for itself in terms of goalmouth action. The visitors, Villa, were the more positive of the two sides, with Marco Asensio striking the post and Kepa Arrizabalaga pulling off an impressive double save to preserve the 0-0 scoreline as the game entered first half stoppage time.

An over-exuberant challenge from Bournemouth skipper Adam Smith led to a booking for him on his 400th Cherries appearance, as well as one for Villa’s Jacob Ramsey, his reaction deemed over the top by referee Stuart Atwell.

The resulting freekick was hoisted into the penalty area and seemingly cleared by the home side. However, a piece of failed trickery in a dangerous spot from Bournemouth man Antoine Semenyo allowed Villa to deliver a second cross, which was feathered home by Watkins with virtually the last touch of the first half.

The halftime introduction of Justin Kluivert certainly injected some energy into the Bournemouth attack, yet the contest entered its final 20 minutes with Aston Villa in a comfortable position, keeping the hosts at arm’s length.

A lifeline for The Cherries arrived in the form of a second yellow card for Ramsey, who’s innocuous trip of David Brooks earned him his marching orders with 10 minutes to play.

Though, it wasn’t until the fourth minute of added time that Bournemouth would create their best chance of the game, with Semenyo forcing a vital stop from Emiliano Martínez from close range, with late substitute Daniel Jebbison unable to convert the rebound under pressure from Matty Cash.

The result leaves Aston Villa banging on the door of the UEFA Champions League positions, level on points with Newcastle and Chelsea. As for Bournemouth, the odds are no longer in their favour in the race for Europe as they now sit in 10th place.

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