Aston Villa 1 Fulham 0 - Report

Youri Tielemans’ 12th minute header was enough to see Unai Emery’s team move level on points with rivals Chelsea and Nottingham Forest.

The midfielder was denied a second by goalkeeper Bernd Leno, who also saved from Ollie Watkins one-on-one before Donyell Malen hit the bar at the death.

Villa keeper Emi Martinez was not seriously tested but the home side’s failure to add to their advantage kept things tense until the finish.

Analysis

After the chastening manner of their defeat to Crystal Palace at Wembley, this match was going to be a test of Villa’s character and they passed it impressively.

There was little sign of any lingering depression as they raced into an early lead through Tielemans’ fifth goal of the season.

The only frustration was their failure to win by more. Leno produced a wonder save to deny Tielemans a second, before then preventing Watkins from becoming Villa’s all-time Premier League top scorer when he saved one-on-one on the hour mark.

With the three matches remaining, the focus for Emery and his players is on the top-five and a return to the Champions League but this result all but guarantees them a place in Europe for the third season running, no small achievement.

This was Villa's sixth win in seven Premier League matches, while they are unbeaten at home in 17 league matches, equalling the record set earlier in Emery's reign.

The manager made only one change from the team beaten at Wembley, Ian Maatsen replacing Lucas Digne at left-back. The defence went on to claim a welcome clean sheet.

Villa needed to make a positive start and did just that, opening the scoring inside 12 minutes.

It came after Fulham had launched their first serious attack, Ryan Sessegnon blasting the ball across the face of the six-yard box. 

Villa countered, Morgan Rogers picking out the run of Asensio with a curving pass to force a corner. Tielemans met John McGinn’s delivery with a powerful header to which Leno got a hand but could not stop hitting the roof of the net.

The home side seemed largely content to sit on their advantage for the rest of the half. Fulham caused a few brief moments of alarm, Raul Jimenez thumping an effort wide from distance, before Alex Iwobi tested Martinez with the last action of the half.

Yet it was Leno who prevented Tielemans from scoring his second of the match and doubling the advantage. The midfielder’s 25-yard effort looked destined for the top corner, only for the goalkeeper to get the slightest of touches to send it wide.

Watkins then should have put Villa two clear seconds after the restart but completely missed Matty Cash’s cross with the goal at his mercy.

Rogers also saw an effort deflected wide but Fulham had also upped the tempo. Ryan Sessegnon thought he had equalised when he fired into the bottom corner and though the strike was immediately ruled out for an obvious handball, it was a warning for Villa.

Watkins had the next chance and it was a big one. Sent clean through on goal by Rogers, he was denied by the legs of Leno.

At the other end, Harry Wilson sent a tame header at Martinez from what was arguably the visiting team’s best chance so far.

Villa just could not find the goal to kill it. Substitute Jacob Ramsey’s cross flicked off a defender and ran just too far for Pau Torres.

Cash blocked bravely from Joachim Andersen at the far post at the end of one Fulham attack, while Leno thwarted the home side again when he beat Donyell Malen to Rogers’ low cross.

Fulham substitute Harrison Reed sustained an injury which saw the visitors play out the final minutes a man down.

Malen, who had shot wide shortly after coming on, then hit the bar in stoppage time clean through on goal.

Key Moments

12 GOAL John McGinn marks his 200th Premier League appearance for Villa by sending in the corner which Youri Tielemans heads home to open the scoring.

Teams

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen (Digne 70), Kamara, Tielemans (Barkley 83), Rogers, Asensio (Ramsey 60), McGinn (Onana 60), Watkins (Malen 70) Subs not used: Mings, Barkley, Garcia, Bailey, Olsen (gk).

Fulham (4-3-3): Leno, Tete (Castagne 67), Bassey, Andersen, Robinson, Lukic, Berge (Willian 75), Iwobi (Reed 75), Wilson (Traore 67), Sessegnon (Smith Rowe 57), Jimenez Subs not used: Cairney, Vinicius, Cuenca, Benda (gk).