Aston Villa 3-3 Brentford

Ollie Watkins’ 24^th goal of the season secured a 3-3 draw against Brentford as the points were shared in a dramatic encounter at Villa Park.

Watkins rose highest to head home at the far post in the 80^th minute and ensure it finished honours even after the Bees hit back from two goals down to lead 3-2.

The England international became the first Villa player to ever record 28 goal involvements in a single Premier League season, with 18 goals and 10 assists in the top flight this term.

Watkins’ 39^th-minute header had earlier handed the hosts a half-time lead, which was doubled just a minute after the restart by Morgan Rogers’ first goal in claret and blue.

But Brentford stunned the home faithful as they found the net three times in nine minutes through Mathias Zanka, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa to turn the match on its head.

The Villans pushed for a winner, Lucas Digne going close with an acrobatic effort, but the clash finished honours even and a point apiece.

Watkins, John McGinn and Emi Martínez returned to Villa’s starting XI following injury, suspension and illness respectively, as head coach Unai Emery made six changes from Wednesday’s defeat at Manchester City.

Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans and Leon Bailey were also recalled as Villa looked to return to winning ways.

Mbeumo sent a 20-yard free-kick into the side-netting early on, while Digne saw his inswinging corner punched away by Mark Flekken at his near post.

But the first half’s pivotal moment came in the 39^th minute as Watkins’ header from McGinn’s cross was pushed on to the far post by Flekken before bouncing back over the line, with Bailey on hand to make sure from close range.

And the second half was just a minute old when Villa crucially doubled their advantage.

Tielemans fed Rogers and he turned inside before finding the bottom corner with a well-taken finish, celebrating his maiden Premier League strike in front of the Holte End.

Yet Villa were soon rocked by a comeback from the visitors which started in the 59^th minute when Mikkel Damsgaard’s ball into the box was missed by Zanka but the ball struck his standing foot and left Martínez stranded.

The visitors were level two minutes later courtesy of Mbeumo’s overhead finish from close range.

And it was another Sergio Reguilon cross which led to Brentford taking the lead in the 68^th minute as an unmarked Wissa converted from six yards.

Villa Park was left shocked but Emery’s side regained their foothold in the clash and the hosts levelled when Bailey’s cross to the far post was nodded in by Watkins.

The Villans, backed by the home crowd, pressed for a winner as they looked to claim maximum reward but Brentford stood strong as it finished all square, with Villa remaining unbeaten on home soil in 10 meetings against the Bees.