Aston Villa stormed from behind to secure their first Premier League victory of the season, overturning an early deficit to beat Fulham 3–1 in front of a roaring home crowd at Villa Park.
The win not only ended Villa’s drought but also injected fresh life into their campaign after a stuttering start. Fulham, meanwhile, were left to rue early hopes and a host of missed chances.
The mood was hardly auspicious for the hosts early on. Within three minutes, Fulham struck, capitalizing on a corner routine that found Raúl Jiménez at the near post. He met the cross with a deft header that gave Aston Villa no answer, and the visitors erupted in celebration.
But questions would later swirl around that moment, for Jiménez appeared to twist awkwardly in his own celebrations. He lasted only until the 11th minute, when he was forced off with what looked like a hip problem—an injury sustained amid the jubilation, as reports suggest a clubmate’s embrace aggravated matters.
Rather than panic, Villa responded with intensity. Fulham threatened further—Josh King instigated a flourish, and there were appeals for a penalty when his shot struck Matty Cash’s arm—but none were upheld, to the ire of visitors’ manager Marco Silva.
Villa’s attempts to restore parity came in waves, though it was a mistake in Fulham’s backline that proved decisive. Joachim Andersen misjudged a long pass, and Ollie Watkins pounced, cleverly chipping the ball over Bernd Leno to level just before halftime, ending his goal drought and breathing new belief into the home side.
Three points at home pic.twitter.com/8nfi1NxcCw
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) September 28, 2025
The second half belonged to Aston Villa. Within minutes of the restart, captain John McGinn shaved the woodwork with a shot before settling his nerves, rifling home a low left-footed strike into the corner.
The comeback was complete just two minutes later when Watkins turned provider—slipping a pass to substitute Emiliano Buendía, who tucked home the third from close range. Buendía’s impact was instant; in just six minutes on the pitch he had not only assisted but also scored, revitalizing Villa’s attacking impetus.
Fulham never truly regained composure. Their hopes of clawing something back were dashed when Ezri Konsa cleared a goalbound effort by Sasa Lukic off the line after a defensive lapse by Villa.
Fulham’s frustrations mounted. They had seen two penalty appeals turned away earlier, and manager Marco Silva showed visible displeasure with the officiating. With full control of the match and precious breathing space, Villa saw out the closing stages unthreatened.
For Aston Villa, the result was as much psychological as it was strategic. Coming into the match, they had managed just one goal in their opening five league games—a drought that had sparked mounting criticism, especially toward Watkins, who until now had struggled to find form.
But with this performance, they demonstrated resiliency, fight, and a capacity to turn pressure into possibility. Captain John McGinn spoke after the game of how Watkins’ goal might silence some critics, and he laid claim to the match’s momentum shift with his own decisive strike. Emery, too, expressed satisfaction in his team’s “reaction, more than tactically,” praising their energy, aggression, and resolve.
Fulham’s afternoon unravelled in shades of what might’ve been. Their opening goal promised an upset; Jiménez’s early header had given them the dream start. But his injury forced an early reshuffle. They came perilously close to double their advantage, with a few half-chances disallowed or denied.
Even though Josh King carved openings and applied pressure, the team lacked the ruthlessness required once Aston Villa began dictating play. Marco Silva, visibly frustrated, declined to dwell on individual decisions in his post-match remarks but described the denied penalty calls as “incredible,” hinting at lines crossed in the interpretation of rules.
In terms of standings, the win lifts Villa out of the relegation zone and injects belief into what had felt like a fragile campaign. Fulham, meanwhile, slip to midtable—disappointed, but not irreparably wounded.