Fulham 1-3 Aston Villa: Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins and an Issa Diop own-goal steer Unai Emery's side to victory - as both sides finish with 10-men as Joachim Andersen and Jaden Philogene see red

With nan crippled level aft nan break, nan cameras panned to Jhon Duran warming up connected nan sidelines. When you request a goal, who amended to telephone upon than nan Colombian who went into this crippled averaging a extremity each 46 minutes successful nan Premier League this season?

But location is simply a logic why contempt each nan noise, Ollie Watkins remains Unai Emery's main man up top.

On nan hr mark, Watkins' slug header gave Aston Villa nan lead and from there, Emery's men ne'er looked back.

It was a 150th elder extremity connected his 400th elder quality for Watkins.

For nan boy from Torquay who grew up successful nan Exeter City academy and has made nan travel from non-league prodigy to nationalist hero, this enthralling conflict pinch Duran will only elevate him to higher standards. 

Five minutes later, his activity was nan logic why Fulham went down to 10 men erstwhile Joachim Andersen was sent disconnected for denying an evident extremity scoring opportunity earlier an ain extremity from Issa Diop doubled Villa's advantage and sealed nan 3 points.

Three points that looked improbable erstwhile Fulham missed a first-half punishment pinch nan people astatine 1-1 erstwhile Andreas Pereira's spotkick was saved by Emiliano Martinez.

After 2 consecutive draws, triumph took Villa backmost into nan apical 4 and confirmed their champion commencement to a Premier League run since 1998-99.

Sunday marks 2 years since Steven Gerrard was sacked by Villa and nether Emery, Villa proceed to spell from spot to strength.

'I'm very proud of our mentality, we did a awesome job,' said Emery, who hailed Martinez arsenic 'the champion goalkeeper successful nan world.' 'Before nan penalty, I was sat down connected nan chair dreaming he would prevention it and he did,' nan Villa leader added.

Meanwhile Marco Silva was near to lament his sides' capacity and nan refereeing decisions, saying Andersen's reddish paper was 'confusing.'

'It was not a bully capacity from us,' he admitted. 'With nan reddish card, I would for illustration to inquire for a clear thought of what consistency nan referees person successful these moments. When Adama (Traore) was 1v1 against West Ham, it wasn't a foul. We were told it was soft. This was moreover softer and we sewage a reddish card. For me, nan referees are trying not to spell for soft touches - they explained to america but 3 weeks later, you spot a wholly different business and not accordant to what we've seen week successful aliases week retired successful nan Premier League,' he added.

Silva's men sewage disconnected to a dream commencement when, 5 minutes in, Bernd Leno hoofed 1 up and Pau Torres made a messiness of it, pinch Raul Jimenez getting successful down and firing a left-footed onslaught past Martinez.

Villa were fortunate to tie level 4 minutes later erstwhile Morgan Rogers' onslaught from extracurricular nan container took a wicked deflection disconnected Calvin Bassey and wrong-footed Leno.

Just earlier nan half-hour people came nan important moment. Darren England didn't grant a punishment to Fulham for a handball by Matty Cash but VAR deemed that Cash's limb was successful an unnatural position and nan referee overturned his decision.

Up stepped Pereira and it was a shocking effort that was comfortably held by Martinez who dived debased to his left, overmuch to nan delight of nan Villa fans down his goal.

Villa started stronger aft nan break and from Youri Tielemans's corner, Watkins utilized Emile Smith-Rowe's interaction to leap up and caput successful his 5th extremity successful 5 games. Andersen was past sent disconnected for dragging down Watkins earlier Lucas Digne's transverse was bundled successful by Diop.

A needless precocious reddish paper for Jaden Philogene put a flimsy dampener connected Villa's day connected nan Thames but this was a deserved triumph for Emery and Co, who invited Bologna successful nan Champions League connected Tuesday night.