Unai plays cards right as Watkins looks real deal
OLLIE WATKINS proved Unai Emery’s poker play can continue to pay out for Aston Villa as they bluffed their way to another three points.
Villa boss Emery chucked away Danny Ings for £15million on Friday but had enough faith in the hand he was holding and Watkins (below) came up trumps.
The England international had scored only three Premier League goals all season but his fourth cashed in for Emery, who can now boast five wins in seven matches since he took over.
And having sold
Ings to West Ham, Emery could now have enough credit with the house to splash out on French striker Moussa Dembele from Lyon.
This defeat was a body blow for Southampton, who remain anchored to the bottom of the table.
It might have been a different story if James Ward-prowse had not seen his goal harshly ruled out by VAR, a call that angered Saints boss Nathan Jones.
That decision – for a soft push on Jacob Ramsey by Mohamed Elyounoussi – was made all the more cruel for Saints when Watkins headed home from a Douglas Luiz free-kick in the 77th minute and another VAR check showed he was just onside.
Asked if there was more pressure on Watkins after the sale
S’hampton 0 A Villa 1
of Ings, Emery said: “It’s a good pressure for him if he’s feeling it. He is a competitor and I am so happy with his work.
“He has a responsibility to do his work but we are not pushing him or giving just him the responsibility to score. It is for others too.”
It’s 16 points from a possible 21 for Emery, who added: “The most important thing is to be consistent and be competitive, and then to improve by reducing our mistakes.”
Not even a sevenminute delay at the end of the first half, when the teams went off because of the alleged dangers posed by a rogue drone, could shoot down Villa’s rhythm.
They dominated possession, created most of the few chances there were and had the character to withstand a late charge from Saints.
Southampton boss Jones said: “It’s really disappointing.
“There was the disallowed goal, then to concede in the manner which we did is soft.
“There was naivety shown, that’s the frustrating thing.” SOUTHAMPTON: Bazunu 6; Lyanco 6, Caleta-car 6 (Djenepo 84), Salisu 6, Walker-peters 7; Lavia 7 (Elyounoussi 62, 6), Diallo 6; A Armstrong 6 (Orsic
84, 6), Ward-prowse 7, Edozie 6
(Perraud 62, 6); Adams 5 (Mara 62, 6) VILLA: Martinez 7; A Young 7, Konsa 6, Mings 6, A Moreno 6; J Ramsey 7, Douglas Luiz 6 (Dendoncker 89, 6), Kamara 6, Buendia 5 (Coutinho 69, 6); Bailey 6 (Cash 82, 6), Watkins 8.
MAN OF THE MATCH: OLLIE WATKINS – A lonely fight up front but he delivered REF: M Salisbury