An excellent first-half performance saw us create numerous opportunities but couldn’t put one away, and that kept the Champions League-chasing Villans in the game, who struck the woodwork twice before hitting us with sucker punches two minutes apart.
Bailey netted with six minutes to go to hand Unai Emery’s side the advantage, and soon after Watkins broke through on the counter to wrap up the win and deal us a setback in our title aspirations.
Everything but the goal
As if we didn’t need any more motivation, Liverpool’s loss earlier in the day meant the opportunity was ours to pull away from one of our title rivals, and we looked determined in the game’s opening quarter.
Emiliano Martinez was tested early on when Leandro Trossard slid in Kai Havertz but the German shot straight at our former keeper, and on 17 minutes Gabriel Jesus had a golden chance to put us in front when he was picked out by Bukayo Saka at the far post but could only find the side-netting.
