- Aaron Ramsdale denied Marco Asensio from penalty spot twice in second-half
- Ollie Watkins, Donyell Malen and John McGinn all scored for Emery’s side
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After watching his Aston Villa team-mates plug away for over an hour, it took Ollie Watkins just seven minutes to get the job done – and surely secure his place in the starting line-up to face Paris Saint-Germain.
The same cannot be said, however, of Marco Asensio, who saw two penalties saved by Aaron Ramsdale and you expect he might not have the same honour if Villa are to win another on Tuesday night in their quest to reach a Champions League semi-final.
Watkins won the first of Villa’s spot kicks just moments after replacing Marcus Rashford before latching on to Youri Tieleman’s superb ball over the Southampton’s defence and looped a volley over Ramsdale’s head and in off the crossbar.
Fellow substitutes Donyell Malen and John McGinn wrapped up the win, the former drilling low into the corner after a neat pass from Morgan Rogers before McGinn reacted quickest to Asensio’s second saved penalty to tap home the rebound.
The victory moves Villa into the fifth, just three points behind third-placed Nottingham Forest after their defeat to Everton, and now allows them to put all their attentions into creating European magic– though who will take the penalties if it comes to it is now up for debate.
‘We have our penalty shooters,’ said Emery. ‘The first one is Marcus Rashford, the second is Marcos Asensio, the third is Youri Tielemans, John McGinn or Ollie Watkins.
Aston Villa moved into the Champions League spots with a 3-0 win over Southampton
Aaron Ramsdale saved Marco Asensio’s penalty after 69 minutes as the hosts frustrated Villa
Ollie Watkins, however, struck four minutes later having been introduced as a substitute
‘Marco decided to take the second because the first one he failed, it was revenge for him,’ said Villa boss Unai Emery. ‘He missed it. We have to accept it and, of course, now we are going to decide for the next match.’
Until Watkins’ introduction, it was not going to plan. Knowing how important it is for Villa to secure Champions League football for next season, Emery chose not to wrap the likes of Rogers, Tielemans and Rashford in cotton wool, even against a pitiful Southampton side, in hopes of getting the job done early.
Villa moved the ball neatly with little one-touch passes but could not find the killer ball with Saints were happy to soak up the pressure and hit on the counter-attack. Matty Cash, Asensio, Tielemans and Rashford all fired efforts over the bar.
They will need to be more precise if they are to reach the last four of the Champions League – Emery may not be able to wait for his substitutes to make the difference at Villa Park.
While history may beckon for Villa, relegated and managerless Southampton remain a point shy of Derby’s all-time lowest tally.
‘We showed a lot of grit for 60-70 minutes against a top team,’ said interim Southampton boss Simon Rusk. ‘We’re really disappointed with the goals but we have to respect a Champions League quarter-final team and respect where we’re at and respond to that.’
Substitute Donyell Malen doubled the visitors’ lead with a powerful strike after 79 minutes
Aaron Ramsdale again denied Asensio’s from the penalty spot in stoppage-time
John McGinn was quick to score the rebound and secure a crucial victory for Villa
Emery’s Villa have climbed into the fifth Champions League spot after their win at St Mary’s
