Ollie Watkins scored deep into first-half stoppage time for Aston Villa against Bournemouth to become the club’s all-time record goalscorer in the Premier League.
Watkins found the net with the deftest of touches on Morgan Rogers’ cross to give Villa the lead in the sixth minute of stoppage time after a largely cagey contest on the south coast.
The goal means the 29-year-old England international moves onto 75 Premier League goals for Villa, one more than Gabriel Agbonlahor.
It may prove to be an important goal as Unai Emery’s side aim to make it successive season in the Champions League.
OUR ALL-TIME PREMIER LEAGUE TOP GOALSCORER:
Oliver George Arthur Watkins 👑 pic.twitter.com/kFkG67MGC8
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 10, 2025
Third-placed Manchester City’s 0-0 draw at Southampton means Emery’s team can close the gap on Pep Guardiola’s men to two points as the race for a top-five finish heats up.
Bournemouth enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the opening 45, but Villa went close to scoring on two occasions when Marco Asensio’s effort hit the post before Kepa kept out Boubacar Kamara’s fierce header.
The Cherries, buoyed by a first-ever away win over Arsenal last weekend, are similarly chasing European football next season.
Should Man City lift the FA Cup next Saturday, it would mean that an eighth-placed Premier League finish would be a ticket to the Conference League next term.
Bournemouth are currently in 10th spot after wins for Brentford and Brighton earlier today. Defeat would keep them in 10th but if they can turn the tie around against Villa it would lift them back up to eighth.
