Aston Villa 1 Fulham 0 - Matt Maher analysis - video Dailymotion

Aston Villa 1 Fulham 0 - Matt Maher analysis

Transcript

00:00Good afternoon from Villa Park.

00:03Well, one week on from that hugely disappointing result at Wembley.

00:07Villa got back to winning ways today, beating Fulham 1-0 in what was a must-win match.

00:14Their chances of finishing in a top five and making a return to the Champions League.

00:19Unai Emery said as much after the game.

00:20He said, look, if we hadn't won today, you could forget it in terms of the top five.

00:25And it's still very little margin for error for Villa with three matches remaining.

00:29But they are still very much in the race.

00:31Uri Tielemann's header in the 12th minute was enough to claim victory.

00:3517 matches unbeaten here in the Premier League now.

00:38That equals a record set earlier in Emery's reign.

00:42Villa, you know, at Villa Park really are, you know, a force to be reckoned with.

00:46They should have won by more.

00:48Bernd Leno, the Fulham keeper, denied Tielemann's a second with a brilliant save.

00:52And a save from Ollie Watkins in the second half as well.

00:54Watkins missed a good chance earlier.

00:56Daniel Marlon hit the bar in stoppage time.

00:59And it meant that this was quite a nervy occasion.

01:02Fulham never seriously tested Emi Martinez.

01:05But they had moments in attack.

01:07It was a big block from Matty Cash.

01:10You know, Fulham disallowed goal for Ryan Sessegnar.

01:13And some other opportunities that Fulham let slip.

01:17But they were pretty poor in what was a big game for them, really.

01:21You know, their chance of catching Villa has gone.

01:23And there's further significance today, other than obviously staying in the Champions League race,

01:28is that Villa virtually now guaranteed Europe for a third season.

01:31Which is no small feat.

01:33You know, this club has come a long way since Umay Emery has been in.

01:38And for all the disappointment of last week and the fact that this will be another season without a trophy,

01:42there's still a lot to be positive about.

01:44It was all about getting over the line for Villa today.

01:47And that's about what it is for the rest of the season now.

01:51You know, these games at the end of the season, you know, are just, it's just about winning.

01:56Finding a way to get by, finding a way to win.

02:00Villa did that today.

02:01Next week at Bournemouth, another 5.30 kick-up on the television.

02:05That looks the toughest game on paper.

02:07Bournemouth still have an outside shot at Europe themselves.

02:10And that really, you feel, could be the game that defines it for Villa.

02:13But they should go in with a bit of confidence restored.