Aston Villa 3-3 Brentford: Ollie Watkins rescues a point with late equaliser but hosts’ top-four hopes suffer a setback after blowing two-goal lead… with Bees scoring three goals in nine second-half minutes in thriller

Returning England striker Ollie Watkins silenced the travelling fans by scoring twice in an epic see-saw contest at Villa Park.

Fourth-place Aston Villa looked on course for a regulation win when Morgan Rogers’ goal in the opening minute of the second half added to Watkins’ first-half header.

But in an incredible turnaround, the Londoners scored three times in nine minutes through Mathias Jorgensen, Bryan Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa to put themselves into an unlikely lead.

Watkins, who had missed the midweek defeat at Manchester City with a hamstring injury, then proved his side’s saviour by heading his 18th Premier League goal of the season from Leo Bailey’s deflected cross with 10 minutes left.

He would have been particularly pleased with this double having being barracked throughout the game by Brentford fans who remembered his finger-jabbing celebration towards them after scoring a late winner at the Gtech Stadium in December.

Striker Ollie Watkins rescued a point for Aston Villa with an 80th minute equaliser

Watkins headed home the equaliser with 10 minutes remaining at Villa Park on Saturday

The great entertainment left Brentford still looking for their first league win in nine games while Villa could drop out of the automatic Champions League spots for the first time in a couple of months should Spurs beat Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Villa welcomed back big-hitters Emi Martinez, John McGinn and Watkins among six changes from the side that lost at The Etihad.

For Brentford, Mbuemo was included for his first start since December while Toney took a rare turn on the bench.

The two teams had played out a stormy encounter in London in December which included two red cards and Watkins upsetting Brentford fans with a finger-jabbing celebration after scoring a late winner..

The first half was comparatively quiet this time with Brentford sitting deep and trying to hit on the counter.

Villa’s best moment until the breakthrough came when Lucas Digne’s corner swirled goalwards in the wind and Mark Flekken had to palm away.

The deadlock was broken after 39 minutes. John McGinn floated a cross into the box and Watkins rose well to head in for his 17th league goal of the season – a tally bettered only by Erling Haaland.

Watkins opened the scoring with a powerful header which just squeezed over the line

Morgan Rogers doubled the hosts’ lead just after the break with his first Premier League goal

Though Flekken got an outstretched left palm to the ball, it had crossed the line before Leon Bailey stabbed the rebound. It was a nice goal for Watkins who had been jeered throughout by the Bees supporters.

Brentford were grumpy Michael Salisbury blew for half-time as Mbuemo was on a breakaway and six of their players surrounded the official in protest.

Things got worse before they got better for the Londoners. Only 37 seconds after the restart, Villa added a second.

Youri Tielemans threaded a pass to Rogers who cut insider Ajer and rifled past Flekken from 20 yards.

It looked game over but you can never say that in this season’s Premier League, particularly not with Brentford who conceded and then scored in injury-time against Manchester United last weekend.

They reduced arrears in slightly fortuitous circumstances when “Zanka” Jorgensen miskicked Mikkel Damsgaard’s cross with his right leg but wheeled away as a goalscorer on his hundredth Premier League appearance after the ball hit his standing left to shoot past Martinez.

It was a prelude to something special. Two minutes later, the visitors were level and this time it was a quality strike. Reguilon’s cross from the left met with a cushioned volley by Mbuemo.

Thomas Frank’s side hadn’t finished there. On 69 minutes, Reguilon burst down the left again and after a great first touch, sent over a delivery that evaded Ezri Konsa and Diego Carlos to give Wissa a tap-in.

Brentford pulled a goal back when Mikkel Damsgaard’s cross went in off Mathias Jorgensen

Bees levelled when Bryan Mbeumo volleyed in Sergio Reguilon’s cross in the 61st minute

Brentford went in front in the 68th minute when Yoana Wissa tapped in Reguilon’s low cross

A furious Emery immediately sent on Nicolo Zaniolo to try and restore normality but it was the familiar source of Watkins who hauled them level after 81 minutes.

Leon Bailey’s cross flicked up off the leg of Nathan Collins and as Flekken came out to try and catch, Watkins beat him to it with a towering header.

That was the signal for Toney to be introduced by Frank – the Brentford skipper booed by Villa fans aware he is battling with Watkins for a place in England’s Euro squad.