Aston Villa vs Fulham: Can Fulham Turn Their Luck?

When Fulham went down 1-0 against Manchester United (their last opponent) it saw the team sliding from #15 they had been perched before the game into the 16th. Despite this, they have not lost any of their two league games within the 2023-24 season despite not being prolific at scoring. So far, they have only managed nine goals in the league and have been goalless for the first half of their last seven matches.

However, their match against Nottingham Forest was unsuccessful and this stopped them from securing one of the first four positions in the league. While this helped them to stay at top of the table, they later lost to Nottenham Forest on Saturday but recuperated when they won against AZ Alkmaar in the Europa Conference League on Thursday.

It is the third time in 40years trying for 12th consecutive home win in the top league to now go for the 13th one. They have scored at least three goals in all of their five league games played at Villa Park this season. The current day brings an opportunity for the Unai Emery’s team to match the club’s 20-year-old feat.

Let’s take a look at today’s match highlights:

First-half begins!

• In the 1^st minute, after observing a minute of silence on Remembrance Sunday, Fulham starts the game, and the match has begun in Birmingham.
• In the 6^th minute, it’s a great save! The first scoring chance belonged to Aston Villa who played a good ball to Diaby inside the box after Digne passed it. However, Diaby’s quick shot easily went between the legs of Leno. The ball touched Leno and he managed to push it away while in the last second, Fulham did not allow a goal.
• In the 7^th minute, penalty for Villa! From the left cross of Diaby, Watkins get a ball in the heart of Fulham’s box and he attempts to shot. Castagne knocks the shot from close range, and it seems to touch him on his arm. In the first place, the referee gave a penalty to Villas, and now VAR has made an appeal on the pitch-side monitor by asking a review.
• In the 9^th minute, No penalty! The decision from VAR is confirmed when the referee takes a brief look at the evidence and cancels a penalty for Villa. It appears that the ball did not come into contact with Castagne’s arm. Fulham escapes another close call!
• In the 15^th minute, during a 50-50 with Konsa, Joao Palhinha is down on the wet Villa Park pitch. He is given medical attention and the game stops momentarily.
• In the 20^th minute, Tielemans did a very good job by sliding tackling very deep in his own half that left McGinn with just some space advancing from midfield. Villas captain should have but delayed to long the pass to Diaby who blocked the shot inside the box. The assistant referee also put up a flag for offside.
• In the 27^th minute, Villa is in the lead! Tielemans sends an enticing cross from the left that flies over Leno’s six-yard box. At one point, where the match is a chaos, Fulham’s goalkeeper and Villa’s forward Diaby almost score a goal, yet Robinson accidentally puts it into his own post instead. Robinson has just scored his second own-goal this season. One goal is scored for the home team at the quarter hour before the half an hour.
• In the 32^nd minute, Pereira almost breaks into Villa’s goal after a long played ball over their high defensive line. Nevertheless, the ball skips up on the smooth turf and Konsa makes a desperation clearance. The challenges had a huge foot, but the officials have decided not to take any actions.
• In the 38^th minute, Pereira almost breaks into Villa’s goal after a long played ball over their high defensive line. Nevertheless, the ball skips up on the smooth turf and Konsa makes a desperation clearance. The challenges had a huge foot, but the officials have decided not to take any actions.
• In the 42^nd minute, McGinn scores, and Villa leads by two goals just before halftime! The captain of Villa’s is a Scottish star after he takes control of the ball that Robinson had headed out. Then, he strides a few steps and delivers a perfect shot into the bottom-right corner of the net as space appears. Now the score is two nil in favour of the side at home and this goal makes the home side the boss.
• In the 44^th minute, McGinn can now move forward without restrictions; he has assisted in the scoring of goals in his last four home Premier League matches – two goals and two assists. In as many league games, Aston Villa has scored a total of 12 goals in the first half. The only club that has scored more first-half goals in the premier league than Manchester City are Chelsea who have 13.
• In the 45+5 minute, going towards the left wing, Willian gets into defensive position of Cash, but he puts in a low curling shot from outside the penalty area but Martinez saves easily. So far, this seems to close off the first half.

Second-half begins!!!

• In the 46^th minute, during the break, Fulham will be undergoing a change to get back into the game. Wilson replaces De Cordova-Reid at right wing.
• In the 48^th minute, Fulham comes close to netting early into the second stanza! Iwobi plays a flick in the direction of Jimenez on the right side of the penalty area. Jimenez manages a low driven strike; however, Martinez creates the great save, touching it onto the far post line, preventing the goal. However, Willian’s header from a rebound hits the skies, providing an open chance to score and waste a golden opportunity.
• In the 52^nd minute, the referee is out of patience with Joao Palhinha for several fouls he has committed and shows him a yellow card. In this case, he managed to bring down McGinn in midfield. This yellow card makes him eligible to be suspended for Fulham’s first match after the international break.
• In the 59^th minute, it is important to note that Fulham has reversed the possession statistics in the first part of the second half. The ball has been on their side about 60%, which makes a world of difference compared to the first half when they did not have it. This has completely changed the dynamics of the game.
• In the 62^nd minute, Unai Emery makes a substitution, possibly due to concerns about Villa losing control of the game. He takes off Diaby and brings on Bailey as his replacement.
• In the 64^th minute, Villa gets their third goal, this really should settle the match! In the counter-attack, Bailey goes through open spaces and then McGinn does well to keep the ball up and hold it. Villa’s captain flicks a passed back through for Bailey, who crosses ball across box for Watkins to turn in a goal close up. This is his sixth Premier League goal this season and Villa get a third and against the run of play.
• In the 65^th minute, Antonee Robinson has received a yellow card. Oliver George Arthur Watkins has also received a yellow card.
• In the 70^th minute, Fulham pulls one back! At long last, Jimenez scores his first goal in the Premier League after tapping into an open net. Teeing up Villa, Robinson rolled the ball across the six-yard box beforehand. Fulham keep their hopes alive having cut it down by two!
• In the 74^th minute, Iwobi is shown a yellow card after a foul on Tielemans, who has proven to be a tough opponent in midfield. Pereira is substituted, with Cairney coming on to replace him.
• In the 77^th minute, in the last 15 minutes, 42 percent of the action has taken place in Aston Villa’s third. Sustained pressure is being put on the hosts, yet can they maintain their advantage all through the final whistle?
• In the 83^rd minute, Ezri Konsa Ngoyo receives a yellow card from the referee.
• In the 85^th minute, the fourth goal for Aston Villa just misses. McGinn beats Bassey, on the left byline and then cuts the ball back into the penalty area. The ball hits Joao Palhinha before striking the crossbar, with Watkins nodding the rebound over the target post. Bailie finishes off with a follow up shot going outside.
• In the 90+4 minute, in the dying moments of the game, Carlos Vinicius is shown a yellow card for a foul on Tielemans.
• In the 90+6 minute, Harrison James Reed gets a yellow card. Reed received a yellow card for pulling Tielemans' shirt, even though it didn't help his team.

So, this match is now officially over. Hope you had fun watching this game as Aston Villa dominated this game from the start itself. Fulham are still waiting for their luck to change and win a match after their recent losses. However, for the Aston Villa fans, it’s party time today. Stay tuned for more!