Brentford 1-2 Aston Villa

Aston Villa came from behind late on to see off Brentford 2-1 in a dramatic Premier League clash that saw both sides reduced to 10 men – setting a club record for 25 top-flight wins in a calendar year.

Ollie Watkins bagged the winner against his former club in the 85^th minute, his 14^th goal of the season, heading home from close range at Gtech Community Stadium.

Álex Moreno’s first Premier League goal had drawn the visitors level moments earlier, with the Spaniard nodding in substitute Leon Bailey’s cross.

Keane Lewis-Potter had put the Bees ahead from 12 yards on the stroke of half-time, before Ben Mee saw red for the hosts with just under 20 minutes remaining following a dangerous challenge on Bailey.

A heated encounter also saw Boubacar Kamara sent off in injury time as the Villans secured their first win over the Bees in west London since 1953 and first in the league since 1947.

It extends Villa’s impressive current run to one defeat in 16 in all competitions, with Sheffield United next up in B6 on Friday night.

Watkins, Kamara, Emi Martínez, Diego Carlos and John McGinn all returned to Villa’s line-up having started among the substitutes for Thursday’s 1-1 draw at HŠK Zrinjski in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Moreno and Jacob Ramsey retained their places in Unai Emery’s XI, making their first Premier League starts of the campaign, while there was a place among the substitutes for Academy goalkeeper Sam Proctor.

The visitors made a positive start to the encounter, Moreno firing over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area early on.

Martínez made a super save with eight minutes on the clock as he got down quickly to keep out Mikkel Damsgaard.

Cash put narrowly wide from Pau Torres’ deep cross midway through the first half, before Ramsey then fired off target when sent clean through by Watkins.

Yet it was the hosts took the lead just before half-time as Saman Ghoddos’ corner fell to Lewis-Potter and he took a touch before poking in from 12 yards.

Ramsey came close to a leveller in injury time but saw his long-range strike parried by Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken.

Villa started the second half on the front foot and Kamara headed off target from Ramsey’s corner.

Moreno made a last-ditch sliding challenge to prevent Mads Roerslev from rushing in at the far post, before Martínez produced an excellent parried stop to keep out Yoane Wissa’s header from the subsequent corner.

Head coach Emery introduced Bailey and Jhon Durán just after the hour mark in a bid to spark a revival.

Brentford were then reduced to 10 men in the 71^st minute as Mee saw red for a lunging challenge on Bailey.

And Villa were level soon afterwards as Bailey’s cross to the back post was headed home by Moreno.

The visitors duly completed the turnaround eight minutes later as Kamara flicked on a corner and Watkins was on hand to head in from close range.

Chances came at both ends during a dramatic period of 10 minutes added time, Martínez lunging to re-divert Bailey’s back-pass.

Kamara received a straight red in the 97^th minute following a scuffle, but Villa held firm to record their first triumph away at Brentford in the Premier League era and second in the last 11 meetings.