Aston Villa Secures First Premier League Win Amid Ollie Watkins' Scoring Resurgence

Aston Villa secured their first Premier League win of the season by coming from behind to defeat Fulham 3-1, ending a difficult start marked by goal-scoring struggles and a prolonged drought for striker Ollie Watkins. Watkins, who had missed several penalties recently and had not scored in 11 games, finally broke his barren spell with a lob over Fulham's goalkeeper, igniting a comeback that included goals from John McGinn and Emiliano Buendia. Despite the victory, there are ongoing concerns about the team's performance levels and consistency, particularly regarding players like Morgan Rogers, whose form has been under scrutiny. Villa's penalty issues have persisted over several seasons, with Watkins missing more penalties than he has scored for the club, highlighting a continued area of weakness. The win, though tense and not entirely convincing, provides a platform for manager Unai Emery to build on as the team works to recover from a poor start and internal changes, including a shift in football operations leadership. Fans and analysts remain hopeful that Watkins' goal will boost his confidence and help reverse Villa's early-season malaise, though the team still faces challenges to fully regain their form from last season.