While Ollie Watkins gave the most articulate response to his omission from the England squad with the second-half goal that consolidated Aston Villa’s place in the Premier League’s top four, the most rousing noise around Villa Park arrived when Youri Tielemans replaced John McGinn a minute earlier.
Most of the stadium took to their feet and cheered the Belgian’s name more loudly than anyone else’s as he made his return after two months out with an ankle injury. On a day when McGinn, Villa’s inspirational captain, followed up his goal in Thursday’s Europa League victory over Lille with another nerve-settling strike here, the returning strength and quality of Unai Emery’s squad suggests they can maintain their two-pronged approach for Champions League qualification.
