Watkins snatches point for Villa in epic six-goal thriller
OLLIE WATKINS ended up upset by Aston Villa throwing away a 2-0 lead rather than enjoying his personal brace to silence Brentford fans and win his personal battle with England rival Ivan Toney.
Watkins should have been celebrating given he was barracked by travelling supporters who remembered his finger-jabbing goal gesture at the Gtech in December.
But Villa’s collapse when Brentford scored three times in nine minutes touched a nerve with the 18-goal striker. Unai Emery’s team could now drop out of the top four if Spurs beat Nottingham Forest today.
‘It’s frustrating. We lacked that big-team mentality where they kill games off which is really disappointing,’ said Watkins. ‘I’m not belittling my team, I’m part of it. We’re battling with Spurs, so we need to win the next six games.’
Ironically, Toney — who is competing with Watkins to be Harry Kane’s understudy for
England — also ended the game raging having been brought off the bench for the final 10 minutes.
He remonstrated with team-mate Nathan Collins at full-time after failing to get the right pass to score a late winner.
‘I will speak to them on Monday. I don’t exactly know what it was about but it’s two competitive people who want to win,’ said Brentford boss Thomas Frank.
‘We have a good culture and a united dressing room. They will sort it out.’
In this feast of a Premier League season, this was another cracker which swung one way and then the other. Villa had looked on course for a regulation win when Morgan Rogers’ goal in the opening minute of the second half added to Watkins’ first-half header.
But in an incredible turnaround, the Londoners scored three times in quick succession through Mathias Jorgensen, Bryan Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa to put themselves into an unlikely lead.
Watkins, who had missed the midweek defeat at Manchester City with a hamstring injury, then proved his side’s saviour by heading Leon Bailey’s deflected cross with 10 minutes left.
Brentford are now nine without a win in the league but fears about being dragged into a relegation battle look remote.
The swirling wind prevented much meaningful action until the game exploded into life after 39 minutes.
John McGinn clipped a cross into the box and Watkins rose well to head in despite Mark Flekken getting a glove to the ball.
Brentford were furious referee Michael Salisbury blew for half-time as Mbuemo was on a breakaway but they’d have been better off keeping their focus.
Within 37 second of the restart, Villa had added a second. Youri Tielemans threaded a pass to Rogers who cut insider Kristoffer Ajer and rifled past Flekken from 20 yards. ‘I changed a lot of things at half-time and it was f ***** right away,’ complained Frank.
Brentford threw themselves a lifeline after 59 minutes when Mikkel Damsgaard’s hit Jorgensen’s left leg and shot past Emi Martinez.
Two minutes later they were level. Left-back Sergio Reguilon raced forward and from his cross Mbuemo arced his body to meet with a cushioned volley.
On 68 minutes, Reguilon again burst through and after a great first touch, sent over a delivery that evaded Ezri Konsa and Diego Carlos to give Wissa a tap-in.
An exasperated Emery immediately sent on Nicolo Zaniolo but it was the familiar source of Watkins who hauled them level.