Brentford 0-1 Aston Villa result – Ollie Watkins goal and defiant defending gives visitors Premier League win

Ollie Watkins scored the winner against his old club for the second season in a row to give Aston Villa three points in the scramble for European places.

Watkins scored the only goal, his sixth in as many games against Brentford since leaving the club, but a tiring Villa side had to withstand a second-half onslaught from the home side.

The first half was largely uneventful, with Tyrone Mings poking the best chance too close to Brentford keeper Mark Flekken, but Watkins’ goal just after half-time was the catalyst for a much more exciting second period.

Watkins cut inside from the left and crashed a low shot that squirmed under Mark Flekken, who should have done better despite an awkward deflection on the shot.

Within a minute of the restart, Watkins set up Morgan Rogers to score, only for the goal to be ruled out by VAR for a tight offside against Watkins.

That let-off put a spring in Brentford’s step and they dominated the rest of the match. Keane Lewis-Potter hit a post, Kevin Schade had two penalty appeals turned down and Axel Disasi had to make two desperate last-ditch tackles.

The defence and stand-in goalkeeper Robin Olsen stood firm, with Disasi’s animated celebration of those tackles symbolising Villa’s defiance.

A win was the most important thing, but a clean sheet - only Villa's second away from home in the league this season - was extremely welcome for Unai Emery's side.

Wolves and Everton meet in the Premier League on Saturday, March 8, live on TNT Sports and discovery+. Just one place separates the two teams in the table, but Wolves are only five points above the relegation zone while Everton are 15 clear of danger. Everton have only lost once in the league since David Moyes returned to the club as manager.

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Villa move up to seventh place, and only two points off fourth, after an extremely hard-fought win at the Gtech Stadium!

Collins is booked for a very clumsy tackle on Tielemans.

Donyell Malen for Morgan Rogers.

Kim Ji-soo for Kristoffer Ajer.

Damsgaard's corner brushes a head at the near post and bounces tantalizingly across the face of goal.

Brentford will feel hard done by if they don't pick up a point here.

Villa should be out of sight. Watkins runs through on goal from inside his own half, onto a pass from Tielemans, but he telegraphs his chipped finish and Flekken stands tall to make the save.

A long throw leads to a rare scramble in front of the Villa goal, with Watkins eventually forcing the ball away. Brentford regain possession and Norgaard shoots just wide from the edge of the area.

Schade's shot from 20 yards is pushed away by Olsen, diving to his right. A save he'd expect to make but still an important one.

Villa's defenders are almost out on their feet.

Cash wastes time at a throw-in and is booked. Eventually the throw is headed away and then knocked back into Watkins, who shoots wide from 15 yards. Half a chance.

Watkins gives Villa some respite with a run down the left, followed by a shot that loops over the bar for a corner.

Schade runs at Disasi in the area and is bundled over. There was a bit of a shove but maybe not enough for a penalty; that's VAR's verdict. But it was a risky challenge from Disasi.

Mathias Jansen comes on for Vitaly Janelt.

Wissa protects a deep cross and lays it back to Lewis-Potter, whose first-time shot through the crowd beats the diving Olsen and pings off the outside of the near post.

Disasi celebrates again after making a vital tackle on Schade, who tried to dink the ball over the outrushing Olsen after a neat flick from Wissa.

It's all Brentford now.

It's been a strange season for Brentford at the Gtech Stadium. They took 22 points from the first eight home games in the Premier League, but if it stays like this they'll have picked up only two from seven matches since then.

Marcus Rashford on, a limping Jacob Ramsey off.

Ajer goes through the back of Rogers and is booked.

Villa have played twice since Brentford's last match, including a big game in Europe, and it is starting to show in the energy levels and intensity of both teams.

Schade runs onto a clever scooped pass from Damsgaard and goes over after a clumsy challenge from Disasi.

Replays show that Cash headed the ball behind for a corner a split-second before Disasi slipped and took out Schade. The VAR team says no penalty.