It’s been seven years since Fulham passed up the opportunity to sign Ollie Watkins when he was a promising forward at Exeter City, and the former Brentford striker returned to haunt the Whites with a ruthless double that put Aston Villa back on track for Champions League football at Craven Cottage today. The England international made light of having an early goal disallowed by scoring either side of halftime to help Unai Emery’s side return to winning ways in south west London, though Marco Silva’s charges pushed them all the way, boosted by the latest manifestation of Rodrigo Muniz’s predatory instincts.
Fulham were fair value for a draw, but they paid the price for failing to take good chances after Muniz scored his fourth goal in three games, beating Emiliano Martinez to Antonee Robinson’s cross after the American international grabbed onto Tom Cairney’s lofted pass down the left side. The Argentine World Cup champion made apologies by making spectacular saves to deny Alex Iwobi at the near post and former Villa winger Adama Traore at the start of stoppage time.
The home side took some time to settle in, with Villa nearly making the perfect start when Watkins raced onto a through ball from Leon Bailey to tuck an assured finish beyond the advancing Bernd Leno, only for an offside flag to confirm he had gotten too far ahead of Tim Ream and Timothy Castagne. Fulham threatened with a free kick, which resulted in a corner, where Muniz climbed highest at the near post but headed wide of the goal.
Muniz created his first chance of goal with a superb touch of chest control, which was quickly followed by a thunderous half-volley that sailed wide, before a rasping shot drifted just over the crossbar after beating Clement Lenglet to Andreas Pereira’s through pass. The home side then had a goal disallowed for offside against Joao Palhinha after Tim Ream’s instinctive finish from a well-worked free-kick, before the Whites gave Watkins the lead when Jacob Ramsey seized on Robinson’s outrageous throw-in. The hardworking midfielder darted away from Willian and slipped a pass through to Watkins, who turned into the penalty area and fired a crisp shot into the bottom corner of the goal.
Fulham were already enraged by Lewis Smith’s lenient refereeing, at 30 the youngest top flight official since Michael Oliver in 2010, when he waved play on after Joao Palhinha collapsed in a heap following a violent challenge. Villa nearly took advantage of the lack of a whistle when Bailey broke away from Robinson and curled a superb long-range shot over Leno’s crossbar. Willian was far from his useful effervescent self on the Fulham left – and was replaced at halftime – but he did provide a floated cross that Muniz nodded into Martinez’s clutches ten minutes before the break.
Another lengthy VAR examination was conducted after Alex Moreno headed home a corner at the far post, but the Villa left back’s jubilant celebrations in front of the Hammersmith End were cut short when he was ruled offside. Fulham pushed for a leveller before halftime, but Muniz soared magnificently above the Villa defence to head a corner past the far post. The hosts were fortunate that some sloppy defending did not result in a second goal in stoppage time, when Watkins set up Youri TIelemens, with Leno spreading himself to stop the former Leicester midfielder.
Iwobi immediately added energy to Fulham’s forward line by replacing Willian at the start of the second half and setting up Bobby De Cordova-Reid with a clever touch, but the home side’s bright start after the restart was for naught when Diop dallied on the ball and was ruthlessly punished by Watkins, who sped onto a sharp pass from Tielemens to fire past a stranded Leno.
Fulham could have folded, but they fought until the end. Their dedication was exemplified by Muniz’s lifeline, when he snuck in ahead of Martinez to nudge Robinson’s improvised cross into an open net – and Silva’s side could have easily completed the comeback. The Brazilian centre forward had a shot blocked before Harry Wilson volleyed a brilliant Pereira free-kick just over the crossbar. Muniz was enraged when his deflected shot went wide of the goal and referee Smith gave a goal kick, with the home side’s late pressure forcing Martinez to demonstrate his world-class reputation with brilliant saves to deny Iwobi and then Traore as Villa held on for a crucial three points.
Fulham (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, A. Robinson, Diop, Ream (Bassey 75); Palhinha (Lukic 89), Cairney; De Cordova-Reid (Wilson 64), Willian (Iwobi 45), Pereira (Traore 75); Muniz. Subs (not used): Rodak, Ballo-Toure, Adarabioyo, and Reed.
BOOKED: Palhina, Castagne, Lukic, Traore, and Wilson.
Muniz scored goal number 63.
ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Moreno (Digne 81), Torres, Lenglet; Luiz, Tielemens (Iroegbunam 90); Bailey, Ramsey, McGinn, and Watkins. Subs (not used): Olsen, Gauchy, Chambers, Kesler-Hayden, and Zaniolo.
McGinn and Moreno are both booked.
Watkins scored two goals (23 and 56).
REFEREE: Lewis Smith of Wigan.
Attendance: 24,401.
