Aston Villa matched their 40-year-old record of 13 consecutive home league victories with a comfortable 3-1 win over Fulham in the Premier League. The victory was secured through an own goal by Antonee Robinson and goals from John McGinn and Ollie Watkins. Villa Park has become a fortress under Unai Emery, with Villa, Liverpool, and Manchester City being the only teams to win all their home Premier League games this season. Villa has scored at least three goals in every match at their stadium.
Villa took the lead in the 27th minute when Youri Tielemans played a ball down the left wing and crossed it into the goal, resulting in an own goal by Fulham defender Robinson. Three minutes before halftime, Villa captain McGinn extended the lead with a low drive into the bottom corner from outside the box.
Fulham showed strength in the second half, with Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez making a fingertip save to deflect a low shot from Raul Jimenez onto the far post. Willian also came close to scoring with a low drive that narrowly missed the target. However, it was Watkins who sealed the victory for Villa with a close-range finish in the 64th minute, exposing Fulham’s defense once again.
Fulham’s Jimenez managed to reduce the deficit by scoring his first league goal since March 2022. However, despite their efforts, Fulham couldn’t come any closer to equalizing. Watkins had a chance to make it 4-1 but missed a late close-range header.
The win places Villa in fifth place with 25 points, while Fulham sits in 16th place with 12 points. Emery, however, remains grounded and focused on improvement rather than getting carried away with their position in the table or their home form. He praised McGinn for his demanding and competitive nature, highlighting his energy and dedication as an example to other players.
In conclusion, Aston Villa’s victory over Fulham not only matched a long-standing club record but also solidified their position as one of the strongest home teams in the Premier League this season. Emery remains humble and determined to continue improving the team’s performance.
