Just as it seemed Aston Villa would succumb to the kind of defeat that would stick in the throat, Unai Emery’s side salvaged a point at a rejuvenated Bournemouth courtesy of a deft Ollie Watkins header with second-half stoppage time looming.
At the end of the season, if not sooner, this could feasibly rank as a healthy takeaway given the margins in their explicit quest to qualify for the Champions League. Zoom out to analyse the bigger picture and Villa, imperious on home turf, remain very much poised to challenge.
Perhaps that backdrop explains the wild celebrations as Watkins registered his 11th goal in his past 15 appearances in all competitions. Watkins wheeled off towards the away support and Emery went berserk, legging it around his technical area punching the air with both hands. It was a magnificent equaliser to earn Villa a potentially precious point and maintain momentum.
Watkins beat Ilia Zabarnyi to the substitute Moussa Diaby’s cross and twisted his head to generate enough power to beat the Bournemouth goalkeeper and captain, Neto. “These kind of players need just 20cm,” Andoni Iraola, the Bournemouth manager, said, acknowledging the beauty of the goal. “For sure, we can defend better but for me the key [to the match] was more the other side. We had chances to score a third goal and probably finish the game.”
Until that point Watkins had been very much on the periphery, his off‑colour display symptomatic of a pale Villa display all round. Emiliano Martínez more than played his part in ensuring Villa departed the south coast with something tangible, twice saving superbly from Dominic Solanke, making almost identical saves in each half.
Douglas Luiz grimaced when Ryan Christie sidestepped him and located Solanke on the edge of the six-yard box, only for Martínez to repel the striker’s shot with his torso. After the break, a relieved Martínez puffed his cheeks after denying Solanke when the striker latched on to a laser cross by the electric Marcus Tavernier, who carried the ball from halfway.
With games against Manchester City and Arsenal on the horizon, a significant week given their aspirations this season, Villa at least avoided an ignominious start. Villa arrived as formidable opponents, soaring high with the league summit within sight, but twice pulled level to cancel out goals by the selfless Antoine Semenyo and Solanke. Semenyo again shone but was fortunate to avoid a cheap red card, tugging at Leon Bailey’s shirt after picking up an early yellow.
Bournemouth have now played all of the top six and so Iraola seems well placed to judge Villa’s top-four credentials. Emery, for one, is determined to do more than just make noises about disturbing the division’s best. “I think they are elite in the final third, in the transitions, on the counter; whenever they have space to run with Diaby, Watkins, Bailey or whoever is playing on the left,” Iraola said.
“They are really dangerous whenever they recover the ball, very good at set pieces and with these things you are always in the games. Even if you don’t play at your best, you are always a threat and this is the reason they score so many goals.”
On the touchline, there was plenty of nervous energy as Iraola and Emery paced their technical areas. Emery is watchable at the best of times but grew more irritable as the prospect of moving second in the table – even if only momentarily – faded.
A couple of minutes into eight minutes of first-half stoppage time Emery animatedly questioned John McGinn’s motives for dummying a routine pass, prompting a vocal exchange. Following the interval, once Solanke had regained the lead with a smart finish, Emery aired his anger when the referee Thomas Bramall halted play after Semenyo clattered into the advertising hoardings. The Villa manager’s ire was evident again when the Bournemouth left‑back, Milos Kerkez, gained a few yards with a throw-in on halfway.
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The referee was the subject of frustration from both sets of supporters at the interval. A VAR check, which disallowed Diego Carlos’s goal that would have put Villa 2-1 up moments after Bailey equalised, took four minutes to be completed. Lucas Digne, who beat Tavernier to a header in the buildup, was eventually ruled offside. By the end of a lively and feisty contest, it all rather felt a distant memory.
The Villa substitute Jhon Duran clinked a post with an effort that deflected off Marcos Senesi but it was Bournemouth who will replay in their minds chances to seal victory. It is why Emery understandably adopted a pragmatic stance.
“I think it was brilliant how we were trying to keep being consistent, never giving up and always trying to be in the match,” the Viilla manager said. “The resilience was on the pitch and in our mind. It is not the best result but we have to accept it.”
