OLLIE GOOD Watkins puts Villa FOR UNAI
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE qualification remains the dream for five-star Aston Villa with Ollie Watkins in fine form.
But hapless Sheffield United are heading back to the Championship after this latest nightmare.
The gulf between the sides was quite staggering as Unai Emery’s men put their recent run of one win in five Premier League games firmly behind them.
When you have had such a wobble, facing the rock-bottom Blades is just the tonic.
Villa reduced Chris Wilder’s men to so much rubble during the first half that this match was over after 30 minutes. Goals from skipper John Mcginn, Ollie Watkins, Leon Bailey and Youri Tielemans made it 4-0 and had Villa’s noisy travelling contingent roaring with delight.
After Watkins scored, Emery punched the air like a madman at pitchside, the frustration of that recent run – and the 3-1 home loss to Newcastle on Tuesday – largely forgotten.
Alex Moreno added a fifth for good measure after the break as the deadly Villans moved two points above Tottenham and back into the top four.
For Wilder, though, the abject misery continues.
The boyhood Blades fan has now managed just one Premier League win since returning to succeed Paul Heckingbottom two months ago.
United appear relegation certainties – they have the worst defensive record in the top flight by some distance and lie 10 points from safety with 15 games remaining.
Wilder handed a debut to loan signing Mason Holgate and United started brightly as Ben Brereton Diaz raced clear before his low shot almost squirmed under Emiliano Martinez.
But Villa moved through the gears in devastating fashion and in the 12th minute a delightful counter-attack, orchestrated by master craftsman Douglas Luiz, saw him find Watkins.
Watkins fired goalwards and, although United captain Anel Ahmedhodzic made a superb goal-line clearance, the ball ran kindly to Mcginn who tapped home from close range.
Four minutes later, Luiz found Watkins clear with a sensational pass and the striker fired low and hard past Wes Foderingham.
A touch of class and a natural
finisher – so often the difference at this level and so it proved once again.
It was 3-0 when Bailey had too much time and space inside the penalty box to curl a superb leftfoot shot into the top corner.
Villa continued to run riot and Tielemans bagged their fourth on the half-hour with a sizzling shot which flew in off the underside of the crossbar.
Many home fans marched out of the ground in disgust, but Villa added a fifth in the 47th minute when Watkins crossed to the far post and Moreno volleyed home left-footed. Cue more home fans making their way for the exits.