Ollie Watkins ended his goal drought to inspire Aston Villa to their first victory of the season as Unai Emery’s side came from behind to beat Fulham at Villa Park this afternoon. The Whites, without a win here in eleven years, made the perfect start when Raul Jimenez glanced a glorious third-minute header into the far corner from Sasa Lukic’s corner but failed to take several chances to put the struggling hosts to the sword after dominating the first half an hour.

Marco Silva seethed on the touchline as Josh King was twice denied by Emi Martinez before seeing a pair of penalty shouts waved away in quick succession. The talented teenager caused Villa’s rearguard all sorts of problems in the early stages and was booked for diving despite being caught by Martinez as he raced onto a through ball from substitute Adama Traore. That seemed harsh and his goalbound effort was handled by Matty Cash shortly afterwards — but both referee Andy Madley and the VAR decided the full back’s offence was not intentional.

Fulham’s fluidity in their forward line was disrupted by Jimenez’s departure in the eleventh minute after the Mexican failed to shrug off a side injury that seemed to be sustained in the act of opening the scoring. They still looked threatening on the break and Villa seemed jittery even after John McGinn had seized on a poor pass from Calvin Bassey to race in on goal only to blaze high and wide from ten yards out.

But Watkins, who missed a second half penalty against Bologna on Thursday, turned the tide with a fine finish after a dreadful defensive mistake from Joachim Andersen. The defender played the England onside and misjudged a punt from Lucas Digne to give the former Exeter City striker a sight of goal. Watkins still had plenty to do but lifted his finish over the advancing Bernd Leno and the ball dropped into the net despite Bassey’s best attempts to clear off the line. Morgan Rogers might have put Villa in front before the break had his touch not let him down, whilst Leno saved a Digne free-kick right on half time.

Emery then replaced former Fulham midfielder with Emi Buendia, and his decision paid almost immediate dividends. Lemare Bogarde won the ball from Traore and Buendia found McGinn 25 yards out. The Scottish international carried the ball forward and fired a low shot past Leno’s dive to the delight of the home fans. Even Emery was punching the air repeatedly two minutes later when Watkins drifted in from the left and set up Buendia, who rammed in a home from close range as Fulham caved in far too easily.

Silva’s side could have grabbed a goal back immediately when Traore cut out a poor pass from Ezri Konsa and found Alex Iwobi. The Nigerian’s perceptive pass found Lukic in front of goal but the Serbian saw his shot scrambled off the line by Konsa, who collided with the post to send the ball wide. Silva slammed the refereeing performance — somewhat understandably afterwards — but the Portuguese head coach will know that his side let a statement win slip away.

ASTON VILLA (4–2–3–1): Martinez; Cash, Digne, Mings (Torres 32), Konsa; Bogarde (Lindelof 82), McGinn (Kamara 72); Guessand (Malen 83), Rogers, Elliott (Buendia 45); Watkins. Subs (not used): Bizot, Maatsen, Burrowes, Sancho.

BOOKED: McGinn.

GOALS: Watkins (37), McGinn (49), Buendia (51).

FULHAM (4–2–3–1): Leno; Castagne, R. Sessegnon (A. Robinson 80), Andersen, Bassey; Lukic, Berge; Wilson (Chukwueze 80), Iwobi (Kevin 65), King (Smith Rowe 65); Jimenez (Traore 11). Subs (not used): Lecomte, Cuenca, Reed, Cairney.

BOOKED: King, Wilson, Bassey.

GOAL: Jimenez (3).

REFEREE: Andy Madley.

ATTENDANCE: 40,350.