Ollie Watkins boosts Aston Villa’s top-five hopes with victory at Brentford

The Premier League’s middle is where the juice remaining in the season is likely to be squeezed from. Saturday night the Gtech was recreated as grindhouse, two teams scratching and scraping at each other, all sinew and sweat.

For Unai Emery, playing Champions League football while aiming for the top five resembles building an aeroplane in mid-flight. To maintain the dream state that being in the competition has given fans and staff alike this season, Aston Villa must improve their away form. With his team having previously failed to win after Champions League away trips, the winner from Ollie Watkins was vital for the domestic challenge ahead. It pulled Chelsea and Manchester City within striking distance. “This three points gives us confidence, the belief to train to compete for a European position,” said the satisfied Basque manager. “We are trying to get ­balance in the league.”

For Thomas Frank, there is the disappointment of far too much heavy traffic to negotiate if his club to play continental football. If Bees fans blamed refereeing for defeat, injuries and fatigue have curbed the Brentford whirlwind. “Of course we dream and want to end as high as possible,” said Frank. “You could see [Villa] felt the pressure because they had to win. They have signed five great players [in the winter transfer window] – that’s what we’re competing against.”

With midweek’s home return leg against Club Brugge to consider, despite a 3-1 lead, Emery’s selection was risk-averse, Emi Martínez and Marco Asensio back in Birmingham, both with “muscle pain”, according to their manager. The Argentinian’s first Premier League absence of the season brought in Robin Olsen as goalkeeper. Villa have a mixed record when the Swede has played, 17 goals conceded in seven previous starts.

Here he saw out his second clean sheet, though not without moments of trepidation. “He did a fantastic job today,” said Emery. “He is appreciated as a person. It is not easy being behind the best goalkeeper in the world.”

His tactics initially appeared the opposite of cautious. A forward line of Morgan Rogers, Leon Bailey and Jacob Ramsey supporting Watkins left John McGinn and Youri Tielemans covering midfield. Neither is a natural anchor and early on, McGinn was twice caught dallying as Brentford engaged the highest of presses.

Villa soon started creating the better chances, Ramsey whipping a right-footed shot that Mark Flekken saved, while Tyrone Mings could only divert a chipped Tielemans free-kick right at the goalkeeper.

On the sideline, Emery, clad in black, was unimpressed with his team’s chance conversion. Frank’s team, once boasting the best home record in the Premier League, now struggle at the Gtech, winless in seven.

Their defending was decidedly lax, positively statue-like, as Watkins burst away to score within four minutes of the restart. “In this league if you switch off you get punished,” said the left-back Keane Lewis-Potter.

If Flekken was unlucky with a deflection off Nathan Collins’ calf for the goal, the video assistant referee favoured Brentford when on a markedly similar attack Watkins was offside by the width of his white boots before supplying Tielemans. Watkins later passed up the chance to seal ­victory, slicing his attempted chip.

Going behind, Watkins scoring for the sixth time against his old club after last season’s confrontations ­following a late winner, injected fight into Brentford and their supporters. “I like Ollie, he’s a good player,” said Frank bluntly of the former home striker turned bogeyman.

Villa survived the first of two penalty calls when the half-time substitute Matty Cash and Axel Disasi first clattered into each other and then Kevin Schade. Cash was deemed to have played the ball before the ­collision. “A big, big penalty,” said Frank. “I don’t understand how VAR can’t ­overturn it.”

If Brentford are not so full of danger as in the autumn, they still made Villa suffer for their points. Previous meekness was set aside as Lewis-Potter cracked the post when laid up by Yoane Wissa. Disasi’s shove on Schade looked a penalty offence only to be waved away by the referee Jarred Gillett for minimal contact. “On a softer side,” said Frank.

More panic stations were seen out but a Christian Nørgaard header was the last Brentford could offer while Olsen held on for dear life. Within such chaos and sweat, Emery had at last found a cure for Villa’s travel sickness.