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Aston Villa boss Unai Emery believes the goals are coming for striker Ollie Watkins after he opened his account for the season in the 3-1 win at home to Fulham.

England forward Watkins made amends for a penalty miss in the narrow Europa League win against Bologna in midweek when he brought Villa back on level terms before the break, following Raul Jimenez’s early headed opener for the visitors.

Villa put Fulham on the canvas with two goals right at the start of the second half. John McGinn’s drilled effort found the bottom-left corner, making it 2-1, before Emi Buendia added another less than two minutes later to give Villa lift off.

Emery said of Watkins:
“Hopefully he keeps going, but it’s the consequence of how he played on Thursday. He missed the penalty, which was important, but the most important and the first step forward is sticking to your tasks, and he was doing that on Thursday and today. The goals are coming hopefully for the next matches.”

Emery admitted Villa’s first Premier League victory of the season was much-needed and he could see confidence flooding back.

“We needed to win, it was very clear,” he said. “We played with energy and passion and changed through the match because we recovered confidence. In the second half, we started aggressive, trying to use those minutes, taking chances to score, and we did it. It was a fantastic response from some players after the goal.

“We started poor but we showed the same enthusiasm as we did on Thursday, and through that we won, and some players have started scoring.”

Fulham wanted a couple of penalties in the first half when goalkeeper Emi Martinez made contact with Josh King, but referee Andrew Madley booked the latter for simulation. King also saw a goal-bound strike blocked by the arm of Matty Cash, but no penalty was given. Marco Silva’s first-half frustrations landed him a yellow card.

Silva said:
“We have to blame ourselves for the goals we conceded; they were too soft for the level the Premier League demands. The things we cannot control have happened too often this season, and this afternoon was another good example.

“The reality of our season so far: we have lost two games and see the way we lost the two games — Chelsea, the VAR decisions, and this afternoon again. Very quick decision from the referee to go yellow card on Josh King. I’ve seen the images and it’s clear. He was tackled 100 per cent by Martinez, I’m sure. No one can tell me he wasn’t. Cash did not do it on purpose at all but he made his body bigger with the left hand.

“Last week it was a penalty against us but this week it was no penalty.”
https://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/unai-emery-expects-goals-to-start-flowing-for-aston-villa-striker-ollie-watkins-1812302.html

Liverpool were given a taste of their own medicine by Crystal Palace as Eddie Nketiah’s last-gasp winner wrecked their 100 per cent start to the season. The Eagles snatched a deserved 2-1 victory with the final kick of the match, just after Federico Chiesa thought he had rescued a point for the champions.

Since losing in the Community Shield to Palace, Liverpool had won all seven of their matches this season, clinching victory in six of them in the 83rd minute or later. But it was substitute Nketiah who produced the last-gasp heroics, prompting Palace’s usually reserved boss Oliver Glasner to charge down the touchline in celebration.

Palace took the lead early when Ismaila Sarr struck in the 10th minute. The goal came after Tyrick Mitchell and Yeremy Pino broke down the left, resulting in Palace’s first corner. Daichi Kamada swung in the cross, and Marc Guehi — who would have been playing for Liverpool if the Reds had secured his transfer on deadline day — challenged Ryan Gravenberch at the far post. It was Reds midfielder Gravenberch who inadvertently headed the ball back into his own six-yard box, where Sarr was on hand to lash it home.

Liverpool responded quickly by winning a free-kick on the edge of the Palace area, but play was delayed for six minutes due to a medical emergency in the Arthur Wait stand. When Mohamed Salah finally stepped up, his shot hit the defensive wall, and Gravenberch’s fierce follow-up was superbly tipped onto the near post by Palace keeper Dean Henderson.

Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson Becker was by far the busier keeper throughout the match, keeping his side in it by denying Pino, Daniel Munoz, and Jean-Philippe Mateta in quick succession. Defender Ibrahima Konate, in particular, endured a torrid time at the back, which was compounded when he pulled back Mateta to earn a booking. This display highlighted exactly why Reds boss Arne Slot pushed hard to land England defender Guehi.

Konate probably should have equalised with a free header from Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner, but the ball flew inches wide. Palace twice came agonisingly close to doubling their lead in first-half stoppage time. First, a slick counter culminated in Mateta curling his shot against Alisson’s far post, then the French striker blazed a volley over from eight yards before the break.

After the break, Munoz just failed to convert Pino’s cross at the far post, before Alisson came out quickly to block Mateta again. Liverpool should have been level on the hour mark, but Florian Wirtz side-footed Szoboszlai’s cross straight at Henderson.

Then came what should have been Alexander Isak’s big moment. The £130 million striker raced onto a ball played in behind, jinked past Chris Richards, only to stab his shot wide.

However, with three minutes left, the ball found Chiesa in the area, and the Italian volleyed home. The goal survived a VAR check for handball by Salah, providing Liverpool with hope.

Yet Nketiah had the last word, tucking the ball away at the far post with another VAR check for offside adding to the late drama — which this time did not go Liverpool’s way.
https://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/late-eddie-nketiah-winner-sees-crystal-palace-end-liverpools-unbeaten-start-1811933.html

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Unai Emery expects goals to start flowing for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins

Late Eddie Nketiah winner sees Crystal Palace end Liverpool’s unbeaten start