Aston Villa narrowed the distance to the fourth-placed Tottenham by securing their 13th consecutive Premier League home win with a 3-1 triumph over Fulham.
Unai Emery’s team took some time to hit their stride in the game, which had a stop-start opening. However, they eventually opened the scoring when Youri Tielemans’ cross was inadvertently redirected into his own net by Antonee Robinson.
The lead was further extended just before halftime, with captain John McGinn delivering a precise low strike beyond the reach of Bernd Leno into the bottom corner. The game appeared to be settled when Ollie Watkins added a third goal in the 64th minute.
Raul Jimenez scored a goal for the away team in the 70th minute, putting an end to his goal drought of 33 Premier League games. However, it turned out to be a mere consolation as Villa secured their eighth win of the season.
This victory places Aston Villa in fifth position, trailing just one point behind Spurs in fourth. The team’s impressive start at home, with six consecutive wins, is the best since the 1932/33 season. Unai Emery’s side is set to face a challenging match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after the international break.
On the other hand, Fulham experienced another challenging afternoon, managing just one win in their last seven league games.