Aston Villa 3-1 Fulham: McGinn & Watkins on target as Emery's side secure win

Forget the records. Forget the routine home wins – impressive as they are – over inferior teams. Between now and the end of the year, we will see what Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are really made of.

When the Premier League returns from the international break, Villa travel to Tottenham. Then, within the space of four days in early December, they have home games against Manchester City and Arsenal, before a trip to Old Trafford on Boxing Day.

Emery continues to play down Villa’s chances of finishing in the top four but if they are still in the hunt after those tests, it will be time to take their prospects seriously. As for Fulham, they must be thankful that Burnley, Sheffield United and Luton are in the top flight this season.

Villa equalled two records here. Their 13th straight home victory in the top division matched a sequence they set 40 years ago, and they won their 21st Premier League game in a calendar year for the first time since 1998. They could not have wished for more accommodating opponents, particularly in the first half.

An own-goal from Antonee Robinson put Villa one up and John McGinn made it two before half-time. Though Fulham improved after the break, Ollie Watkins made the game safe for the home side and ensured Raul Jimenez’s sole reply had no impact on the outcome. There was even time for Watkins to produce an astonishing miss that will be listed among the season’s worst howlers.

Fulham have managed only 10 goals this season as they continue to struggle without Aleksandar Mitrovic, and the absence of defenders Tosin Adarabioyo, Kenny Tete – back on the bench here – and Issa Diop has hardly helped either. In the opening period they looked like a side going through the motions at the end of a season – rather worrying on November 12.

By contrast, McGinn appeared particularly geed up for this one and was lucky not to be booked for upending Fulham’s key man Joao Palhinha early on. Moments later Villa created their first chance as Youri Tielemans – handed his first Premier League start for Villa – kept his balance by the touchline and found Lucas Digne. From the cross, Moussa Diaby drove for goal and Bernd Leno saved well.

Villa thought they had won a penalty in the seventh minute when Timothy Castagne appeared to handle Watkins’ volley. After a VAR check, though, the decision was overturned as referee Simon Hooper ruled the ball had struck Castagne in the face.

So dominant were Villa that it was a surprise when Fulham escaped their own half. From one such raid, Castagne caught Digne on his heels when he ran on to Bobby Decordova-Reid’s pass and only a fine interception from Ezri Konsa denied Jimenez a tap-in.

Villa’s superiority always looked as though it would tell and so it was no surprise when they took the lead. Douglas Luiz released Tielemans on the left and though Moussa Diaby could not turn in the cross, it rebounded off the backtracking Robinson and into the net.

Robinson was struggling and when he misjudged the flight of Pau Torres’ pass, Matty Cash should have done better than shoot straight at Leno from 20 yards. Cash then redeemed himself with a brilliant sliding tackle to stop Willian running at goal and less than a minute later Villa had doubled their lead.

Digne’s hopeful ball was not headed clear properly by Robinson, allowing McGinn to control it, step inside Palhinha and drill beyond Leno from just inside the ‘D’.

Emery demands the highest standards from his players and would have been furious at the events that nearly allowed Fulham to pull one back early in the second half. Neither Konsa nor Torres engaged Alex Iwobi quickly enough and the ball broke to Jimenez, whose effort beat Emiliano Martinez but hit the post. With the whole goal to aim at, Willian put the loose ball high and wide.

When Palhinha finally went into the book for his umpteenth clumsy challenge on McGinn, the Fulham bench lost its cool and first-team coach Goncalo Pedro was also shown a yellow card.

Yet Fulham were starting to find some rhythm as Villa, perhaps feeling the strain of their 2-1 European win over AZ Alkmaar three days earlier, lacked their first-half zip. Harry Wilson had replaced Decordova-Reid for the second half and was making an impact. As the travelling fans found their voice, Willian went close again as he guided Andreas Pereira’s ball just wide.

Then the visitors were taught a brutal lesson. When their own corner was cleared, Robinson’s misplaced pass fell to substitute Leon Bailey, who tore forward. A clever return pass from McGinn sent Bailey charging into the box and when he squared it, Watkins tapped in his 12th of the season for club and country.

Fulham’s greater threat deserved a goal and they had it 20 minutes from time. Robinson sprang the offside trap and collected Wilson’s pass from deep before giving Jimenez the simple task of scoring from close range.

The visitors kept pushing and sub Carlos Vinicius had a goal ruled for offside, and Watkins produced one of the misses of the season, somehow heading wide of an open goal from a yard when the Palhinha’s miscued clearance rebounded off the bar.