# Ollie Watkins Scores Hat-trick as Aston Villa Thump Brighton
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was full of praise for striker Ollie Watkins after he scored his second hat-trick of the season in a 6-1 win against Brighton.
The 24-year-old forward opened the scoring in the first half before netting two more goals in the second half to complete his hat-trick. He has now scored seven goals in his last five Premier League games.
Speaking after the match, Emery said: “Ollie’s performance was incredible. He showed great commitment and desire and his goals were well taken. He is a very important player for us and he is showing that every week.”
The victory was Villa’s fourth in a row and saw them move up to fourth in the Premier League table. It was also their biggest win of the season so far and they have now scored 15 goals in their last four games.
Villa had a number of other chances to add to their tally, with Jack Grealish and Anwar El Ghazi both going close. Brighton, on the other hand, struggled to create any clear-cut chances and their only goal came from a penalty late on.
The result leaves Brighton in 16th place in the table and they have now lost three of their last four games. Manager Graham Potter said: “We didn’t start the game well and we were punished for it. We need to learn from this and move on quickly.”
Villa will now be looking to continue their good form when they face Manchester City next week. Brighton, meanwhile, will be hoping to get back to winning ways when they face West Bromwich Albion.
For those who missed the match, highlights can be seen on Match of the Day on Saturday 30 September at 22:30 BST on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website & app. (Available to UK users only).