Brentford 1-2 Aston Villa: Unai Emery's men come from behind to stun the Bees thanks to late goals from Alex Moreno and Ollie Watkins... as both teams see red in fiery league clash

Ollie Watkins made a controversial return to Brentford as he celebrated a late winner for Aston Villa with a celebration that sparked fury in the crowd and on the pitch.

With five minutes of normal time remaining, Watkins put Villa 2-1 up and ran into the net, seeming to point towards a supporter behind the goal. It was unclear what had been said or done but Watkins was furious and his reaction set the tone for a violent end to the match, in which Boubacar Kamara was shown a straight red card when his head appeared to make contact with Yehor Yarmoliuk.

That made it 10 players aside as Brentford defender Ben Mee had been dismissed midway through the second half, and Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez was perhaps lucky to escape similar fate for grabbing Neal Maupay by the shirt. 

Villa boss Unai Emery was also shown the yellow card as he tried to stop Martinez talking himself into more trouble. At full-time, Watkins – who joined Villa for £33million in 2020 – appeared to be explaining his celebration to his former boss Thomas Frank.

Earlier, Keane Lewis-Potter had given Brentford the lead shortly before half-time but then Mee was dismissed and Alex Moreno equalised not long afterwards. Then came Watkins’ goal and that utterly chaotic climax – but these were three more vital points for Villa that keep them in the title race.

Without suspended duo Douglas Luiz and Lucas Digne and with Leon Bailey fit enough only for a place on the bench, John McGinn moved into central midfield with Alex Moreno back in the starting XI at left-back. Moreno had two decent chances in the opening five minutes, first squeezing through before finishing weakly, and then firing too high from 20 yards after a flick from Boubacar Kamara.

Villa had started well but they should have been behind in the eighth minute. A poor piece of control from Matty Cash allowed Vitaly Janelt to cross from the left. When Diego Carlos’ clearance fell perfectly for Mikkel Damsgaard 10 yards from goal, the Dane looked certain to score, only for Emi Martinez to produce a fine stop.

Brentford wanted a penalty when McGinn tangled with Ben Mee inside the box. The appeals were rejected and Villa broke swiftly, with Moreno again denied by an important block from Zanka. Cash volleyed Pau Torres’ cross wide at the far post and Jacob Ramsey sliced Ollie Watkins’ knockdown past the post but by now Brentford were looking more dangerous.

Villa’s build-up was laboured and unimaginative and as soon as it broke down, Brentford challenged their high defensive line with quick passes over the top. Six minutes before the break, Damsgaard escaped into the space behind Ezri Konsa and his cross just eluded the sliding Yoane Wissa.

Though Frank was frustrated at that, he was celebrating moments later. Watkins’ tentative attempt to clear Saman Ghoddos’ corner saw the ball drop mid-penalty box, where Lewis-Potter sneaked beyond the dozing Moreno to stab it through the crowd and beyond Martinez.

The passage of play before the goal summed up Villa’s predicament. Pau Torres ended a sterile spell of possession with an overhit crossfield pass which was intercepted by Ghoddos, who drew a foul from Moussa Diaby. The quick free-kick earned Brentford a corner as Wissa’s shot hit Torres and flew wide – and they promptly took the lead.

Needing to look livelier after the break, Villa might have had a man advantage early in the second half when McGinn took Norgaard’s boot on his shin and Achilles. Referee David Coote opted only for a booking and there was no intervention from VAR. That was still to come.

Villa were still struggling to threaten, though Kamara put a free header wide from McGinn’s corner. At the other end, following a clever combination between Norgaard and Lewis-Potter, Moreno had to stop Mads Roerslev turning home Diego Carlos’ mishit backpass. Then Martinez produced another vital stop to keep out Wissa’s close-range header after Villa had nodded off again at a corner, allowing Damsgaard time to cross.

Then Brentford’s task became harder. Mee launched himself recklessly at substitute Leon Bailey, who had only just come on, and Coote upgraded his yellow card to a red. Frank was furious but Mee’s studs were up and he caught Bailey on the shin. It was out of keeping with Brentford’s precise performance and it soon cost them.

McGinn slid the ball wide to Bailey, the Jamaican played a pitching wedge to the far post where Moreno had made the extra man and the Spaniard headed in his first Premier League goal. Emery sensed a win and took off centre-back Torres for attacker Nicolo Zaniolo with nine minutes left.

And four minutes later, it paid off as Zaniolo won a corner on the left. Ramsey’s delivery was underhit but Kamara’s delicious flick turned it into a beauty and Watkins headed it past Mark Flekken.

That should have been that but Watkins had clearly been upset by something uttered from the fans behind the goal and ran into the net, appearing to point out an individual in the crowd. That led to the obligatory pushing and grappling session and it was some time before Coote could restore order.

Into 10 minutes’ added time, Bailey nearly scored one of the great own-goals with a backpass from just inside his own half that crept past the post as Martinez scrambled.

Brentford were already ticking with Martinez’s behaviour and when he clashed with Maupay the fuse blew. Kamara saw red for his clash with Yarmoliuk but Villa held on.