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Emery decision Vindicated as 0% fringe Aston Villa Ace stinks v Crystal Palace
Unai Emery’s decision to start Ollie Watkins was justified after Jhon Duran’s lackluster performance as a substitute in Aston Villa’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday, 23 November.
Villa fought back twice to secure a point at Villa Park, with Ross Barkley scoring a late equalizer, heading in a Youri Tielemans corner to make the most of their 70% possession. Watkins had opened the scoring in the first half, rewarding Emery’s decision to start him, especially after Duran struggled to make an impact when he came on in the second half.
The England international finished calmly, rounding goalkeeper Dean Henderson before slotting the ball into an empty net. The 28-year-old ended a five-game goal drought, although he had scored for England against Greece during the international break. Watkins’ goal was well-deserved after taking three shots in the Palace penalty area, with an expected goal (xG) of 1.3.
Despite a solid performance, Emery chose not to replace Watkins and instead brought Duran on with over 20 minutes left, with the score at 2-1. However, the Colombian had little effect, registering only seven touches, two of which came in the opposition box. Duran’s performance was underwhelming—he managed just one shot with a 0% conversion rate and was dispossessed once.
His lackluster showing, just days after controversy on international duty, was disappointing for both the manager and fans. After weeks of calls for Duran to start, Emery’s faith in Watkins seemed fully vindicated.
In other Aston Villa news, Richard Keys has responded to a “staggering” incident that occurred during the match against Crystal Palace.
