Aston Villa beat Ajax 4-0 to book their place in the last eight of the UEFA Conference League on Thursday evening.
Ollie Watkins’ first-half header kicked off the evening for Unai Emery’s side, but the mood turned after Villa’s talisman was forced off just moments later with a concerning knee injury.
Second-half goals from Leon Bailey, Jhon Duran and Moussa Diaby sealed passage into the quarter-finals on a relatively routine evening.
The one negative was the injury sustained by Watkins, and there will be hope
Lee Hendrie reacts to Ollie Watkins Aston Villa injury v Ajax
Covering the game for Sky Sports, Lee Hendrie has delivered his verdict on how serious Watkins’ injury was.
“Watkins went off quite gingerly,” he told Sky Sports.
“It was an impact challenge, it wasn’t a pulled muscle. Hopefully, it’s a bit of soreness.”
Watkins’ fitness will be the main talking point amongst fans leaving Villa this evening. The 28-year-old has been vital in Emery’s system and is, without a doubt, enjoying his best season in a claret and blue shirt.
Another worried figure will be Gareth Southgate. Watkins was called up for England’s upcoming fixtures against Brazil and Belgium.
Aside from the striker’s injury, it was a near-perfect night for the home side. On paper, Ajax appeared to be a tough test, which somewhat rang true after the first leg.
However, there was a gulf in quality between the two sides on Thursday evening. Duran’s goal was well deserved, Bailey continued his electric mid-season form, and Diaby produced one of his better displays since moving to the club last summer.
There’s no reason Villa can’t win this competition. Premier League clubs seem lightyears ahead of their European counterparts, and that is showing on the pitch.
Hopefully, this side can emulate West Ham United’s 2023 success and make it back-to-back victories for English clubs in UEFA’s newest competition.
With Emery at the helm, there’s every chance of European silverware returning to the West Midlands again.
