Aston Villa player ratings as they closed in on Champions League qualification with a professional 3-1 victory over Bournemouth with multiple stars shining.
Villa continued their fine run of form with a routine victory at Villa Park. Unai Emery’s came into the match on the back of a dramatic penalty victory over Lille which saw them qualify for the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League.
This confidence oozed throughout as they returned to Premier League action. Despite going 1-0 down to Dominic Solanke’s penalty, this did not affect Villa’s performance.
Morgan Rogers netted an equaliser right on half-time before Moussa Diaby put the hosts in front just before the hour mark.
Leon Bailey then rounded off the victory late in the day to continue their wonderful run of form.
Below, we have rated the players after another emphatic performance from Emery’s side.
GK – Emi Martinez – 7/10
Martinez made a great one-handed stop early on to keep Bournemouth at bay. He Couldn’t replicate his penalty heroics again as Dominic Solanke slammed the ball into the net from the spot.
The ‘keeper made another great save from point-blank range to keep the hosts in front just after the hour mark.
RB – Matty Cash – 5/10
Cash made a ridiculous challenge to give away a penalty in the first half. The full-back did not have to go down as he took out Milos Kerkez and put Villa at a disadvantage early on. He improved as the game went on, but it was a poor overall game from Cash.
CB – Erzi Konsa – 7/10
Kept Villa in the game with a superb challenge on Solanke to stop the striker from unleashing his strike. Konsa has hit an incredible run of form recently and this continued throughout the Bournemouth match.
CB – Pau Torres – 6/10
Another solid display from the defender. As the game went on, the Spaniard had less and less to do and sometimes found himself far up the pitch trying to get involved.
LB – Lucas Digne – 6/10
Another solid performance from Digne who continues to be reliable as ever. The full-back rarely put a foot wrong and won plenty of aerial duels throughout.
RM – Leon Bailey – 8/10
Bailey was fantastic creatively throughout the game. He should have had an assist early on when Diaby scuffed his shot. However, the assist would soon come as he played another great ball to Rogers for the equaliser.
The winger then finished off the game late on as he tapped home from a yard after Watkins’ incredible cross.
CM – John McGinn – 7/10
Helped set the tone of the game from the off at Villa Park. The hosts were dominant throughout the game and McGinn was central to this success. The Scotsman showed his captain qualities when, despite going 1-0 down, he ensured the team kept their composure and continued to do what they were doing well.
CM – Youri Tielemans – 8/10
Tielemans was a real presence in the middle of the pitch for Villa. The Belgium international covered every blade of grass and there was nothing he couldn’t manage. His passing was excellent throughout and he stopped plenty of Bournemouth attacks with his defensive work. The only thing he was missing from the performance was a goal.
LM – Morgan Rogers – 8/10
Morgan Rogers was fantastic in the first half and made constant problems for the visitors. Bournemouth simply could not contain him and he capped off this performance with a goal. It was taken like a seasoned striker as he had the composure to get past the defender before hammering the ball into the roof of the net.
In the second half, he continued this run of form and made the second goal with a fantastic ball to Watkins who played in Diaby.
ST – Moussa Diaby – 7/10
Diaby should have found the net in the first half when Leon Bailey squared a wonderful ball to the attacker who made a mess of the shot, sending it wide. He also played a poor part in conceding the penalty as he was deemed ‘too soft’ when he lost the ball up the pitch.
At the end of the first half, he made up for his mistakes with a fantastic challenge that led to Rogers’ equaliser. He then completed his redemption as he put Villa ahead with a nicely taken finish just before the hour mark.
ST – Ollie Watkins – 8/10
Watkins had a few pot shots throughout but they never really troubled the ‘keeper. The Englishman produced some great hold-up play throughout as he was a real focal point. The striker was extremely unselfish for Villa’s second as he slid in Diaby to turn the score on its head and collect another assist.
However, the striker wasn’t done there. Watkins then sent in a wonderful cross to Bailey to confirm the victory and push Villa closer to Champions League qualification.
Sub – Diego Carlos – 6/10
No time to make an impact.
Sub – Jhon Duran – 6/10
No time to make an impact.
Sub – Kaine Kesler-Hayden – 6/10
No time to make an impact.
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