Watkins praises strong Villa Park performance

Ollie Watkins felt Aston Villa put in one of their best displays of the season to see off West Ham United in the Premier League.

The home team were on form in B6, controlling the flow of the game and creating chances throughout the 2-0 win.

John McGinn grabbed the opener before Watkins put the game to bed in the second half, keeping Villa challenging at the top end of the table.

“It was massive for us, the last game going into the international break,” he reflected.

“All the teams around us played before and dropped points, so we knew the job at hand today.

“We’ve taken that and maximised our opportunity to push on and get into those Champions League spots.”

Watkins’ goal, a well-taken close-range finish, was his ninth strike of the top-flight campaign.

It capped a strong afternoon for the forward, who led the line well and gave the opposition defenders a torrid time.

On his goal, Watkins said: “It was sweet because I had quite a few opportunities in the game, and the one you least expect – following in off a rebound – fell to me nicely.

“I’ve done well to lift it over the ‘keeper, so I’m really happy with that.

“I’m glad that, after a bit of poor form, we’ve come here today against West Ham, who we knew were going to make it difficult, and put in one of the best performances we’ve had this season.”