Aston Villa got lucky in comeback win but that's what a title-winning team needs
To lead a team to a title, a manager needs excellent players, a ruthless manner and a brilliant tactical mind. None of this is enough, though, without a huge dollop of luck at the right times.
With 70 minutes gone, Aston Villa trailed to Keane Lewis-Potter’s first-half goal and were showing few signs of breaking Brentford down. Then Ben Mee launched himself at Leon Bailey and was shown a red card after a VAR check — the right punishment for such a dangerous lunge.
That gave Unai Emery and Villa the opening they needed. Alex Moreno equalised six minutes later and five minutes from the end of normal time, Ollie Watkins scored the winner against his former club and Villa had passed an important test as they chase Arsenal and Liverpool.
Watkins’ angry celebration led to the chaotic scenes and more than 12 minutes’ stoppage time that saw Boubacar Kamara sent off for Villa and will surely bring an FA charge for both Brentford and the visitors. Watkins said he was pointing at a fan he believed was abusing his family.
Emery will be delighted with the result but knows his side got away with one. Without their midfield helmsman Douglas Luiz, missing through suspension, the Villa ship was drifting. Their passing lacked imagination and their high defensive line was exposed by Brentford’s quick balls into space.
Yes, Villa were missing Luiz and Lucas Digne — also banned — and Youri Tielemans, along with long-term absentees Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia. But Brentford were hardly at full strength either, with Mathias Jensen, Rico Henry, Kevin Schade, Bryan Mbeumo and Ivan Toney unavailable, and have now lost five of their last six matches.
Yet away from home, Villa make heavy weather of teams who sit deep. This was their club-record 25th
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