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Aston Villa won their seventh Premier League game in eight as they beat Bournemouth 1-0 at the Vitality Stadium to keep themselves firmly in the race for the UEFA Champions League places. With much at stake for both sides, it was a cagey start to the first half.
Jacob Ramsey perhaps should have done better with a shot that went well wide, while Evanilson’s header from Alex Scott’s cross did not trouble Emiliano Martinez. However, Villa started to dominate as Marco Asensio hit the post from the edge of the box, before Kepa Arrizabalaga produced two great saves to thwart Boubacar Kamara and Matty Cash headers.
The goalkeeper was eventually beaten in first-half stoppage time, though, as Ollie Watkins diverted Morgan Rogers’ cross in with the deftest of touches, becoming Villa’s outright all-time top Premier League scorer. The visitors almost doubled their lead immediately in the second half when Kamara’s left-footed strike flew just wide, but their quest to claim victory became more difficult when Ramsey was sent off, picking up a second yellow card after tripping David Brooks.
Bournemouth gained encouragement from that as Antoine Semenyo’s shot flashed agonisingly wide, before Evanilson’s powerful drive from range stung Martinez’s palms late on. Remarkably, in the last minute of stoppage time, Semenyo’s goal-bound effort was brilliantly cleared off the line by Cash, who made sure of victory. Villa’s win puts them level on points with fellow Champions League chasers Newcastle United and Chelsea, who face off on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Unai Emery extends his personal unbeaten record against Bournemouth to eight matches. As a result, the Cherries’ five-game unbeaten league run comes to an end, seeing Andoni Iraola’s side drop to 10th in what is a blow to their own European ambitions.
