Aston Villa secured their first Premier League victory of 2024 by dominating Sheffield United, the bottom team, with a resounding 5-0 triumph at Bramall Lane. Within 40 minutes, John McGinn, Ollie Watkins, Leon Bailey, and Youri Tielemans established a commanding lead, and Alex Moreno added a fifth after the break. With this win, Villa rises to fourth place, tied on points with Arsenal and Manchester City.
Ollie Watkins played a pivotal role as Aston Villa netted four goals in the opening half-hour, leading to an emphatic 5-0 win against struggling Sheffield United. The English striker contributed significantly, hitting the post in the 12th minute, allowing John McGinn to score from the rebound.
Watkins extended Villa's lead with a clinical finish four minutes later, and he set up Leon Bailey for a third goal in the 20th minute. Unai Emery's team continued to penetrate Sheffield United's defense, reaching a four-goal advantage when Youri Tielemans unleashed a superb strike off the bar in the 30th minute.
The trend continued as Watkins provided another assist, crossing for Alex Moreno to volley in a fifth just 90 seconds into the second half. Despite taking their foot off the gas for the remainder of the match, Villa secured three points comfortably.
This victory propels Villa back into the top four, trailing leaders Liverpool by five points with a game in hand. Although tied on points with Arsenal and Manchester City, Villa sits fourth based on goal difference. In contrast, Sheffield United remains at the bottom, 10 points adrift of safety with a game more played than 17th-placed Nottingham Forest.
Looking ahead, Villa faces an FA Cup fourth-round replay against Chelsea on Wednesday before hosting Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday. Meanwhile, Sheffield United travels to fellow strugglers Luton in a crucial bottom-of-the-table clash on Saturday.
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