Watkins keeps Villa on track in top-four quest

Just as it seemed Aston Villa would succumb to the kind of defeat that would stick in the throat, Unai Emery's side salvaged a point at a rejuvenated Bournemouth courtesy of a deft Ollie Watkins header with second-half stoppage time looming.

- Ben Fisher

Bournemouth 2

Semenyo 10, Solanke 52

Aston Villa 2

Bailey 20, Watkins 90 

At the end of the season, if not sooner, this could feasibly rank as a healthy takeaway given the margins in their explicit quest to qualify for the Champions League. Zoom out to analyse the bigger picture and Villa, imperious on home turf, remain very much poised to challenge.

Perhaps that backdrop explains the wild celebrations as Watkins registered his 11th goal in his past 15 appearances in all competitions. Watkins wheeled off towards the away support and Emery went berserk, legging it around his technical area punching the air with both hands. It was a magnificent equaliser to earn Villa a potentially precious point and maintain momentum.

Watkins beat Ilia Zabarnyi to the substitute Moussa Diaby's cross and twisted his head to generate enough power to beat the Bournemouth goalkeeper and captain, Neto. "These kind of players need just 20cm," Andoni Iraola, the Bournemouth manager, said. "For sure, we can defend better but for me the key [to the match] was more the other side. We had chances to score a third goal and probably finish the game."