Aston Villa boss Unai Emery knows his side missed the opportunity to show they can be contenders at the top end of the Premier League after going down 2-0 at Nottingham Forest.

Villa were below their best as they lost for the first time in six games as Forest won thanks to goals from Ola Aina and Orel Mangala.

Emery’s side, who have enjoyed an excellent start to the season, could have moved above Arsenal and into the top four, but they fluffed their lines.

“Today was a key moment, if we could really be a contender to be in the top seven teams and we lost the opportunity,” Emery said. “I believe in the players, I know they can but we have to be very demanding. We can’t concede chances like we did today.

“If we want to be in the top seven teams we have to try to reduce the mistakes we made today.

“The key moment in 38 matches is every match. Today was a key moment to take some distance with the other teams and get in the top-four positions but we lost this opportunity, now the next match against Fulham next week is a challenge and it is again a key moment.”

Forest took a fifth-minute lead when Aina converted from 20 yards and they doubled their lead after a rare Emiliano Martinez error shortly after restart.

The Argentina World Cup winner won the Yashin Trophy, effectively making him the best goalkeeper in the world, at last week’s Ballon D’Or, but this effort will not be winning him any awards after he could only palm Martinez’s effort into his own net.

Emery added: “We are human and we can make a mistake. I never punish the mistakes of the players because I want to try to get the confidence of everybody, practising, trying to do everything well and when we are facing other teams we have to be better than them.

“But never punishing mistakes, not only for Emiliano, for everybody.”

Forest won for the first time since September 2 with an impressive performance where boss Steve Cooper won the tactical battle against Emery.

Villa played with a high line and Forest exposed them with their pace.

Cooper said: “The players massively followed the game plan. I said to them, I’ve got real gratitude to them for committing to the plan we put in place.

“We came up against a really in-form team with loads of good players and an excellent manager. You have to respect them, but you have to look at a plan where you can win.

“I’m really pleased that the goals we scored were from how we thought we could create chances. Once you get there, you want the players to back themselves to convert.

“Even though they had a lot of the ball, I never really thought we would concede. I never felt the goal was getting peppered. Defensively, we were excellent, both tactically and our defensive intuition backed up with desire and commitment.

“I’m really pleased with the players. They showed a great attitude to the plan. It was an incredible atmosphere to support the players’ performance. I thought today was a really good example of what we’ve become over the last couple of years, and I think that needs a bit of recognition.”

Nottingham Forest ended their six-match winless streak in style as they beat Aston Villa 2-0 in the Premier League at the City Ground.

Forest had not won since beating Chelsea way back on September 2 and the pressure had begun to grow on boss Steve Cooper as they slipped down the table.

But goals from Ola Aina and Orel Mangala lifted the gloom and the performance was a reminder that they are a different proposition to the side that narrowly avoided relegation last season.

They showed in the first 50 minutes in particular how good they can be as Cooper won the tactical battle with Unai Emery.

Villa’s high line was repeatedly exposed and, after also misfiring in attack, they lost for the first time in six games, which will temper expectations that a top-four challenge is possible.

Forest were quick out of the blocks and the fast start was rewarded with a fifth-minute lead.

Anthony Elanga was set free down the left and he teed it up for Harry Toffolo to pull it back across goal, straight into the path of Aina, who met it with a delicious side-footed effort that fizzed into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

That provided Forest with a platform and they were denied the opportunity to score a second after Nicolas Dominguez robbed Boubacar Kamara and Taiwo Awoniyi went in on goal, but referee Jarred Gillett generously blew up for a foul.

Villa looked vulnerable to Forest’s pace but the hosts’ execution when picking through balls let them down.

The visitors briefly came into the game and tested debutant goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos for the first time in 36th minute as Moussa Diaby picked out Nicolo Zaniolo at the far post, but the Italian’s drilled effort hit the legs of Vlachodimos.

Soon after Forest had a fine chance to double their lead as Aina raced clear down the right and pulled it back for Gonzalez, but the Argentinian blazed over from 12 yards.

But Forest did strengthen their advantage just 69 seconds after the restart, though Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez will not want to watch it again.

The hosts broke down the left, with the ball ending up with Mangala 20 yards out and the Belgian produced a swerving shot which Martinez got a hand to, but he could only palm it upwards and the spin carried the ball over the line.

The Argentina World Cup winner won the Yashin Trophy, effectively making him the best goalkeeper in the world, at last week’s Ballon D’Or, but this effort will not be winning him any awards.

It was perfect timing as the goal was immediately followed by a minute’s applause for Nottingham Panthers ice hockey player Adam Johnson, who tragically died after a horror accident while playing against the Sheffield Steelers last week.

Dominguez had an excellent chance to make it three shortly after but he shot straight at Martinez, who made a better fist of this save.

They could have done with that going in as, with memories of their last home game against Luton fresh in their mind, they saw Villa up the ante.

For the first time in the match Emery’s side began to look threatening, with Ollie Watkins not getting enough contact on a header from close range, Diaby being denied by Vlachadimos and Leon Bailey heading over.

Remi Garde was announced as Aston Villa’s new manager on this day in 2015.

The former Lyon boss signed a contract until 2019 – but he lasted only 23 games and oversaw just three wins.

Villa were bottom of the league having lost their previous six games and had sacked Tim Sherwood in October.

Garde, Villa’s fifth manager in five years, said: “It is an unbelievable honour to be the manager of such an illustrious football club.

“I’ve had extremely positive meetings with both the owner, Randy Lerner, and chief executive Tom Fox. They have ambitious plans for the club and I’m excited that they have turned to me to help them realise them.

“Obviously we have a difficult task in front of us but I’m looking forward to the challenge with the support of everyone who loves Aston Villa.”

Garde’s first match in charge was an encouraging goalless draw at home to Premier League leaders Manchester City.

However, just 147 days later the Frenchman departed after six successive defeats.

Garde’s last game in charge was a 1-0 defeat at Swansea on March 19, a result which left Villa 12 points from safety with seven matches remaining.

The club were relegated at the end of the season for the first time in 29 years.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery believes his side can be top-four contenders this season if they continue their remarkable progression.

Villa have improved exponentially under the Spaniard’s regime and posted a 12th successive Premier League home win after they beat Luton 3-1 at Villa Park.

Goals from John McGinn and Moussa Diaby gave them the upper hand before Luton captain Tom Lockyer put through his own net. An Emiliano Martinez own goal got Luton on the scoresheet in the final 10 minutes, but it was Villa’s afternoon.

They have lost twice this season – to Newcastle and Liverpool – and Emery wants his side to keep improving.

“You have to be very demanding and focus each on match,” he said of his side’s chances.

“We are winning matches because we are being very focused, we are being very demanding in our defensive structure, we are trying to build a team with high commitment.

“We are between another seven teams, they show their power consistently. But if we are working like that and doing this process, being demanding, being strong, of course we can progress and still keep the moment we have now in the table.

“I want to face each match being focused, preparing properly and being demanding.

“We have played Liverpool and Newcastle and they were better than us. When we lost against Liverpool and Newcastle, I told the players I want to reduce the distance they showed when they come here.”

They have not lost on home soil since they lost 4-2 to Arsenal on February 18, but Emery thinks there is more to come.

“There is still a lot of work to do and still a lot of things we can improve.

“Tactically, try to be more consistent for 90 minutes. I am very happy but I think there are things that can improve,” he added.

Luton boss Rob Edwards knows that his side’s season will not be judged on games like this.

“Let’s be honest, today was a difficult afternoon for us. There is a gulf between the two teams, at the moment Aston Villa are an exceptional team, in a great moment, confident, brilliant manager and very good players. At 3-0 down with 30 minutes to go I’m on the touchline thinking, ‘This is difficult’.

“I’m really pleased with how the players stayed in it, stayed committed, that was important. It’s important the fans can see we never ever give in and stick at it.

“It was a difficult afternoon but proud of how we stuck to the task.

“Today wasn’t going to define us, we know that, we are in a different battle to Aston Villa at the moment, there is a difference in the teams, but we have to learn from it.

“I want to make us better and me better.”

Aston Villa continued their impressive home form as they beat Luton 3-1 to rack up a 12th successive Premier League win at Villa Park.

Unai Emery’s side have won every home league game since February 18 and made light work of the Hatters, with goals from John McGinn and Moussa Diaby giving them the upper hand before Luton captain Tom Lockyer put through his own net.

Villa have scored 13 goals in the last three Premier League home games as Emery’s team continue to show they are early contenders for the top four this season.

And with games against Nottingham Forest and Fulham coming up, they have a chance to solidify their position in the race before a clash with leaders Tottenham on November 26.

This was a seventh defeat in 10 top-flight games for Luton, who have quickly found out how demanding life can be in the Premier League, though they did get on the scoresheet when Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez scored a late own goal.

They were up against it from the start as Villa were quick onto the attack and could have led inside four minutes.

Ollie Watkins collected a cross and teed up Nicolo Zaniolo, but the Italian’s cushioned effort drifted just wide of the post.

Only a brilliant double save from Thomas Kaminski stopped Villa from breaking the deadlock in the 11th minute as he superbly spread himself to block Watkins’ close-range effort and then reacted quickly to stop the follow-up effort.

There was no surprise when the hosts went ahead in the 17th minute and it was another masterpiece from set-piece coach Austin MacPhee’s playbook.

Douglas Luiz’s low corner was dummied by Moussa Diaby and it ended up with McGinn at the far post, with the Scotland international shifting the ball past Chiedozie Ogbene and into the far corner.

That might have given the Villa the platform to go on and flourish, but Luton did well to stifle them and the hosts were restricted for the rest of the first half in terms of clear-cut chances.

But that quickly changed after the restart as they doubled their lead in the 49th minute.

Lucas Digne’s cross fell kindly to Diaby 12 yards out and he drilled a low effort into the bottom corner.

The Hatters came from 2-0 down at Forest to draw 2-2 last weekend, but there was little chance of a repeat here.

Villa continued to probe and added a third just after the hour.

Diaby made good headway down the right and his cross was turned into his own net by Lockyer.

Leon Bailey could have made it four but he shot wide while McGinn did not connect with a right-footed shot when the goal was gaping.

Luton did not give up and got on the scoresheet in the 83rd minute, Villa defender Ezri Konsa’s header hitting the crossbar and rebounding off Martinez and into the net.

Boss Unai Emery believes Aston Villa proved their European credentials after an emphatic 4-1 win at AZ Alkmaar.

Leon Bailey, Youri Tielemans, Ollie Watkins and John McGinn struck as dominant Villa cruised to victory in the Europa Conference League.

It was a second 4-1 win in two games – following Sunday’s victory over West Ham – and Villa earned successive Group E triumphs after dispatching last year’s beaten semi-finalists.

“If we want to be a contender we have to show every day and when we are playing those matches, we have to show everybody our wishes. I think we did it,” Emery told a press conference.

“We are respecting them because they played in the semi-final last year against West Ham. They won last year against Lazio, they won last year against Anderlecht and it’s because they have experiences in European competitions.

“I am very happy with the players because I think they have to be mature, responsible and demanding themselves, not only when I’m pushing them. They have to try to increase their own individual and collective level.”

Bailey opened the scoring when Villa cashed in on wasteful play from AZ and Tielemans doubled the lead 10 minutes later.

Watkins made it 3-0 six minutes after the restart when Bailey’s shot was saved by former Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan.

Just five minutes later, McGinn added a fourth when he turned Bailey’s cross in at the near post.

AZ improved and pulled a goal back through Ibrahim Sadiq’s fine drive from the edge of the box with 25 minutes left.

Home defender David Moller-Wolfe said: “I can only speak for myself, but I’ve never played against such a good team.

“I felt when we tried to press them high, they just went in behind us and when we stayed they played in between us. That said, I don’t see why we can’t go to Villa Park in a few weeks and beat them.”

Ollie Watkins continued his red-hot form as Aston Villa cruised to a statement 4-1 Europa Conference League win at AZ Alkmaar.

The striker netted his 10th goal of the season and fourth in Europe this season on Thursday.

Leon Bailey and Youri Tielemans – his first for Villa – put them in control in AZ Stadium after less than 25 minutes.

Vangelis Pavlidis wasted the hosts’ best chances but Watkins and John McGinn added more goals after the break in Holland before Ibrahim Sadiq grabbed a consolation.

It was the second time in two games Villa had scored four after their 4-1 Premier League win over West Ham on Sunday.

Unai Emery celebrated a year in charge on Tuesday and victory underlined the progress his side have made, having been floundering in 14th and three points above the relegation zone 12 months ago.

Villa host Alkmaar in two weeks knowing victory would see them take a giant leap to the knock-out stages, especially following an opening 3-2 defeat at Legia Warsaw in September.

After two games in Group E, all four teams were locked on three points but Villa moved to remedy that quickly, opening the scoring just 13 minutes in.

Watkins seized on a loose pass from Yukinari Sugawara and, while Boubacar Kamara’s ball was cut out, it fell for Bailey to control and rifle in low from the edge of the box.

Alkmaar cried handball but the goal stood and 10 minutes later, the hosts were 2-0 down.

Another poor pass, this time from Sven Mijnans, went straight to McGinn and his angled pass found Tielemans to bag his first Villa goal.

Yet, 90 seconds later, the hosts should have pulled a goal back when Pavlidis fired over with just Emi Martinez to beat after Kamara was dispossessed on the edge of the box.

Pavlidis had a goal disallowed for offside soon after but Villa regrouped and extended their lead six minutes after the break.

AZ were picked apart by Watkins, Tielemans and Bailey, who saw his shot saved by Matt Ryan but it fell perfectly for Watkins to tap in the rebound.

Five minutes later McGinn added a fourth when he turned in Bailey’s low cross at the near post.

Sadiq pulled a surprise goal back with 25 minutes left when he latched onto Bruno Martins Indi’s crossfield pass and drilled the ball into the corner from the edge of the box.

Tiago Dantas came close to a second, Tielemans deflecting his drive behind, with a comeback never on the cards.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery played down his side’s Champions League credentials despite thrashing West Ham.

Villa are just two points off Premier League pacesetters Manchester City and Arsenal following Sunday’s 4-1 win.

Douglas Luiz’s double and clinical finishes from Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey ended Villa’s Hammers hoodoo, for their first victory over West Ham since 2015.

They returned to fifth spot, just a point adrift of the top four, with games against Luton, Nottingham Forest and Fulham coming up next.

“There are seven teams contending. We are after seven teams; Man City, Man United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle,” said Emery, with fifth potentially offering a Champions League place this term.

“Dream, always. My dream is to win the Champions League but now we are fifth and we are going to face each match trying to get a good performance.

“It’s 38 matches and we lost at Newcastle, we lost at Liverpool. They are matches we are not going to play again.

“I prefer to speak about the matches we won but I have to speak about the matches we lost. This is the balance. We have to be very demanding.

“In the table West Ham were two points behind us and the level we have now, they have as well. It was very important.

“The process is going in the right way, it’s going to be difficult. In the end we won 4-1.”

Luiz had already tested Alphonse Areola from distance before opening the scoring after half an hour, firing in from the edge of the box after good work by Nicolo Zaniolo and Watkins.

Six minutes after the break Villa were gifted a second when Lucas Paqueta sold Edson Alvarez short and he brought down Ezri Konsa for Luiz to convert from the spot.

But Jarrod Bowen grabbed a lifeline for the Hammers soon after when his shot hit Pau Torres to creep into the corner.

The visitors sensed a recovery, Matty Cash heading over Nayef Aguerd’s shot, but with 16 minutes left Watkins ended any ideas of a comeback. He latched onto John McGinn’s long ball, skipped past Kurt Zouma and lashed into the roof of the net.

There was still time for Bailey to get in on the act in the final minute, beating Areola from six yards after giving Aguerd the slip.

It was just West Ham’s third league defeat of the season, leaving manager David Moyes frustrated.

“I’m not having my teams losing four goals as soft as we did today. There were things which I can say we did quite well but I didn’t think we were hard enough to play against,” said Moyes, whose side are now ninth.

“Today wasn’t so good. More importantly nearly every ball we played around the box was the wrong decision and it led to us hardly creating enough opportunity to score.

“The lads kept on fighting and it looked like we were the team in ascendancy at 2-1 but they punished us really quickly and that took the game beyond our reach.

“Villa are probably just behind the top three or four in the Premier League and today was a challenge to see what level we were at and I thought we fell below that.

“It was a very close first half, we missed opportunities to score. We had opportunities to make chances to score and that was the bit bugging me at half-time.”

Aston Villa maintained their Champions League charge with a thumping 4-1 win over West Ham.

Douglas Luiz’s brace, including a second-half penalty, plus goals from Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey moved them to fifth in the Premier League – just two points off top spot.

Jarrod Bowen’s deflected effort made it 2-1 but the hosts recovered for Watkins to smash in a crucial third before Bailey wrapped things up late on.

The Hammers, now five points adrift of Villa, slipped to just a third defeat of the season after struggling to match the hosts.

Villa had waited long enough for a victory over the Hammers, their bogey side.

They had recorded just one win in the last 10 years, a 1-0 victory when Villa were already on the slide in 2015, but under Unai Emery they are a different beast, having earned 10 straight home league wins for the first time in 30 years coming into this match.

Emery put his faith in Nicolo Zaniolo, starting while he assists the Italian authorities in their investigation into alleged illegal betting activity.

A Sunday afternoon slumber hung over Villa Park in the opening stages but it was roused when Alphonse Areola brilliantly turned Luiz’s 25-yard effort wide.

It was a stunning save from the West Ham goalkeeper but he should have been beaten five minutes later.

Moussa Diaby’s pass evaded Kurt Zouma for Watkins to turn Vladimir Coufal. The hard work done, the striker had just Areola to beat but dragged inches wide from 12 yards.

The momentum was with Villa so there was little surprise when they went ahead after 30 minutes.

Zaniolo and Watkins linked on the left with the England striker collecting a cute return pass to tee up Luiz on the edge of the box and he drilled low past Areola.

In scoring, the midfielder became the first Villa player to net in six straight home matches in the Premier League.

The hosts deserved their lead, Watkins close to doubling it two minutes later when he grazed the side-netting, and West Ham were too compliant as Diaby, Watkins and Zaniolo caused problems.

Villa were slicker than the Hammers, who waned in the last third with a final ball missing and Michail Antonio haphazard.

Any hopes of a comeback rested on a strong start to the second half but, instead, the Hammers self-destructed after 51 minutes to gift Villa total control.

There was little danger when the Hammers looked to play their way out in the corner but Lucas Paqueta’s wretched pass put Edson Alvarez in trouble.

Ezri Konsa darted ahead and Alvarez clattered the defender to concede a penalty which Luiz coolly converted.

It looked like a Villa cruise but the visitors pulled a goal back out of the blue five minutes later when Bowen’s shot from 25 yards clipped Pau Torres and rolled in the corner.

The rarely-seen jitters returned to Villa Park and Matty Cash headed Nayef Aguerd’s strike over before turning Antonio’s dangerous cross behind.

Yet Villa ended any hopes of a recovery with 16 minutes left. The Hammers had the hosts on the ropes briefly but were caught out by John McGinn’s long ball to Watkins.

The striker, fresh from his winner for England against Australia during the international break, still had plenty to do but sold a dummy to Zouma before drilling into the roof of the net from an angle.

Substitute Bailey then wrapped up the points with a minute left, collecting Youri Tielemans’ pass, sidestepping Aguerd and finding the top corner.

Ollie Watkins has praised Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery for helping him get back in the England squad.

The striker returned to the international scene for the first time since March 2022 and hit the only goal of the game as England beat Australia 1-0 in a Wembley friendly on Friday night.

Watkins, 27, has scored four goals and provided four assists in the first eight Premier League games of the new season – including a memorable hat-trick against Brighton.

He had scored just twice last campaign before Emery was appointed as Steven Gerrard’s successor in November but then hit 14 in 26 matches following the Spaniard’s arrival at Villa Park.

Asked how it felt to return to the England set-up following time out of the squad, Watkins said: “I think my mindset has changed since the boss has come in, Unai Emery at Villa.

“He’s filled me with a lot of confidence. I’ve definitely improved in these last 18 months since I was last in the England camp.

“I think it shows in my form and my performance here so I’m really happy and I’m delighted to be back in the squad and putting on an England shirt.

“I envisioned it all (playing and scoring against Australia). I was itching to get on the pitch so I’m delighted I got my goal and it helped the team to win.”

Realistically, Watkins is one of a number of forward options who will be vying to be the back-up to England captain and all-time record goalscorer Harry Kane at Euro 2024.

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Callum Wilson, Ivan Toney, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and newly-capped Eddie Nketiah are other strikers in Gareth Southgate’s pool but Watkins believes he is not a like-for-like replacement for Kane when he is given the nod.

“I think I’ve got a completely different playing style to Harry, he can drop deep and play some unbelievable long passes – that’s not my game. I can’t do that,” he added.

“My strengths are running in behind and stretching them so I can only do what I can do. When I put on the shirt I’ll try and do the best I can for my country and then it is the manager’s decision.”

Beth Mead looks likely to make her long-awaited return to Arsenal’s matchday squad when the Gunners host Aston Villa at the Emirates on Sunday, boss Jonas Eidevall confirmed.

The England forward, who won the Golden Boot in the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 triumph, has not played for club or country since rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) late last November.

Mead faces one final training session before her fitness for Arsenal’s third meeting of the new Women’s Super League season is confirmed, but the 28-year-old’s manager was feeling optimistic after seeing her put through her paces on Friday morning.

Eidevall said: “In order to, for squad selection, we have one more training to go. If she goes through that training she should be 100 per cent ready for squad selection.

“She has a lovely energy, she plays the game with both her right and left foot with really good attacking qualities too. We all know that Beth Mead is a quality football player, so of course we are really looking forward to having her back on the pitch again.”

Mead, whose injury ruled her out of this summer’s World Cup, was one of four of Eidevall’s players to sustain an ACL problem last season, drawing further attention to what many feel is a crisis facing women’s football, where the issue is alarmingly common.

Netherlands striker Vivianne Miedema joined the ‘ACL club’ a month after her team-mate and partner Mead but is also edging close to a comeback, said Eidevall, while Leah Williamson, who captained England to the European trophy, will not feature until after Christmas at the earliest.

Defender Laura Wienroither ruptured her ACL in May, while fellow defender Teyah Goldie became the fifth victim when she suffered the same issue in August.

Eidevall said: “Viv has returned to team training, which is really nice, so obviously the next thing from team training is to start playing in games, if that’s friendly games or internal games behind closed doors and so on.

“That’s the next step, and from there on obviously you’re not miles away from being able to be selected to be in the squad, so she’s definitely getting close.”

While the unfortunate quintuplet of team-mates have been able to support each other through the long recovery process, Eidevall and his staff do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach.

He added: “Unfortunately we have a group of players that went through the same thing. I think, though, at the end of the day you need to deal with your things yourself, because even if it looks on paper that you have the same injury, it’s never exactly the same.

“There are always differences. There can be similarities and yes you can help, but at the end of the day everything is going to be unique to you as an individual. I try to be very mindful of treating people with similar injuries like a package.”

Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali and on-loan Aston Villa forward Nicolo Zaniolo are returning to their clubs from Italy’s training camp after it emerged they were being investigated by the Turin Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The Italian Football Federation said the decision was taken because the players “are not in the necessary condition” to be involved in the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and England, as well as “for their protection”.

The statement from the FIGC did not specify the nature of the investigations which Tonali and Zaniolo, who is on loan at Villa from Galatasaray, were facing.

Reports in Italy claim it is relation to an investigation into illegal betting. On Wednesday, it was reported that Juventus midfielder Nicolo Fagioli was under investigation for alleged betting breaches.

The FIGC statement on Thursday read: “The federation announces that this afternoon the Turin Public Prosecutor’s Office has conducted investigations into players, Sandro Tonali and Nicolo Zaniolo, who are currently training with the national team at the Coverciano Federal Training Centre.

“Regardless of the nature of the events, considering that the two players are not in the necessary condition to face the matches scheduled for the next few days, the federation has decided, also for their protection, to allow them to return to their respective clubs.”

Italy, the reigning European champions, host Malta in Bari on Saturday before travelling to Wembley to face England next Tuesday in a repeat of the Euro 2020 final.

England are currently top of Group C on 13 points, six ahead of second-placed Italy who have played a game less.

Newcastle and Aston Villa have been contacted for comment.

England forward Ollie Watkins is so averse to the public spotlight that he no longer goes shopping, but knows his profile is only going to get bigger.

The Aston Villa striker has earned a recall to the England squad for forthcoming games against Australia and Italy after his season burst into life with four goals in two games at the end of last month.

Watkins, who was not included in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the September games, does not feel comfortable walking around his local supermarket.

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But he also accepts that if he keeps banging in the goals for Villa and England, he is only going to get more attention.

“I go under the radar, maybe,” the 27-year-old admitted. “I’m not talked about enough profile-wise. But I know I have been producing on the pitch since Unai Emery came in. But I do go under the radar.

“I don’t know if it’s me being at Villa. You get some players that are just likeable and out there. I’m not really too fussed about that.

“I just like playing football. Maybe a lot of people said to me I need to push my profile. But I am happy with what I am doing on the pitch and that’s all that matters to me.

“The bigger you are, the more you are in the spotlight. It’s not that I don’t want that, it is doing my job. If I am doing my job and playing well, my profile will raise naturally.

“I remember when I moved from Brentford to Villa, I used to just go and shop in Sainsbury’s normal at Brentford.

“I came to try to do it at Villa and I couldn’t. I came home and I was fuming and I said to my missus I am never going out again, you will have to do the shop.

“Since then I don’t do the shopping, I don’t get ‘bothered’ but a lot of people want photos.

“I had my earphones in and people were like – they take two looks – is that him? When I see that people have clocked me, normally I try to avoid (them). Not because I don’t want to interact with them…once one person asks for a photo then two or three do and it’s hard to do shopping.”

Watkins believes the arrival of Villa boss Emery last year was the catalyst for kick-starting his career.

“Definitely, under (Steven) Gerrard, I know he played me all the time – I’ve played under all managers – but I wasn’t really getting the best out of my game,” he said.

“That wasn’t down to him, I had just kind of fallen into a rut, but I feel like I have gone on a different path and really focused on being a striker.

“Before I was trying to do everything, trying to cross it and get on the end of my own cross and head it. Now I am just focused, being the main man.

“He put a lot of faith in me and gave me confidence to go out and perform, just focusing on scoring goals and helping the team.

“I definitely felt like, I came from Brentford, I scored a lot of goals and in my first year I did well and then I found I hit a little bit of a rut.

“It is hard. When you are in that rut, you don’t know where you are going to end up or what is going to happen.

“I didn’t see my career anywhere else but Villa but it was hard to try and get out of the rut when it wasn’t going great for me.”

Johan Lange has been appointed as Tottenham’s new technical director.

Lange has performed a similar role at Premier League rivals Aston Villa since the summer of 2020, but will begin work at Spurs from November 1.

The arrival of ex-Sevilla director of football Monchi at Villa Park in June changed the position of Lange, who will replace Fabio Paratici as Tottenham’s key figure in recruitment.

Spurs’ chief football officer Scott Munn said: “Johan has demonstrated an excellent track record of scouting and signing many talented and successful youth and senior players.

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“He is a welcome addition as we strengthen our football operations.”

Spurs have been searching for Paratici’s replacement since his resignation in April from his role as the club’s managing director of football.

Paratici was hit with a two-and-a-half-year ban from working in Italy in January as part of sanctions dished out after his former club Juventus were found guilty of false accounting, with his suspension extended worldwide by FIFA in March.

After leaving his Tottenham role following a failed appeal, it was confirmed that the Italian could work in football on a consultancy basis, which the PA news agency understands he has continued to do at Spurs in recent months.

The arrival of Lange on November 1 is the latest restructure by the club after Munn officially joined from the City Group last month, while Leonardo Gabbanini, previously chief scout, departed days later.

Lange will be responsible for Spurs’ recruitment and talent identification across both their senior and academy teams.

Tottenham have also shifted towards using analytics and data more during the past 12 months and Lange, who was previously assistant at Wolves, will play a key role in trying to improve the club’s work in that area.

The Dane began his coaching career at Copenhagen in 2008 before moving to England in 2012 to work with then Wolves boss Stale Solbakken.

He returned to Copenhagen in 2014 and took on the role of technical director, with Lange credited with overseeing a successful period at the Superliga outfit.

A move to Villa followed and Lange has been involved in the transfers of Emi Martinez, Matty Cash and Ollie Watkins during the past three years.

It has helped take Villa from relegation candidates to a Europa Conference League side under the management of Unai Emery.

Lange saw his role at the midlands club switch to global director of football development and international academies this summer.

“The club can confirm Johan is leaving his role and departs with the best wishes and gratitude of everyone here for his commitment and service during his time,” a Villa statement read.

Matthew Kitson will become Villa’s new director of global development, working alongside academy boss Mark Harrison and Monchi at Villa Park.

Wolves boss Gary O’Neil defused any tension after Unai Emery left without a handshake.

The Aston Villa manager walked down the tunnel after Sunday’s 1-1 draw while O’Neil spoke to the fourth official at full time.

Pau Torres had quickly cancelled out Hwang Hee-Chan’s second-half opener as Villa missed the chance to move into the Premier League’s top four.

Ollie Watkins hit the post with the last touch of the game after Mario Lemina was dismissed in stoppage time for a second caution.

They remain fifth after a scrappy derby at Molineux while Wolves built on their 2-1 victory at Manchester City last week and O’Neil dismissed any issue with Emery.

He said: “It was a lot of nothing, I was moaning at the fourth about playing 114 minutes and Unai didn’t want to wait for the handshake so he went to walk down the tunnel. I just said: ‘No problem, go down the tunnel’.

“I’ve waited ages for people (managers in the past), I understand that they want to talk with the fourth official.

“My conversation with the fourth official was about eight seconds long so he wouldn’t have had to wait very long. But I understand if he doesn’t want to, no problem. I’ve got no problem with Unai at all.

“I thought we edged it 11 v 11, apart from the start but a point is fairish I’d suggest. We looked comfortable, there wasn’t a huge gap between the sides.

“Eight points is not a bad return, we’re managing to score goals and trying to improve.”

Rayan Ait-Nouri steered Wolves’ best first-half chance wide and Jose Sa needed to be alert to divert Watkins’ effort over soon after the break.

But Wolves struck first after 53 minutes when Neto’s pace took him past Torres to cross for Hwang to net his sixth goal of the season.

The lead lasted just two minutes as Torres netted his first Villa goal when he turned in Watkins’ cross at the far post after Wolves were unable to clear Douglas Luiz’s free kick.

With 12 minutes left Neto should have settled the game when Sasa Kalajdzic’s excellent cross found Wolves’ star man only for him to blaze over from 10 yards.

Wolves then had to navigate eight of the 12 minutes of stoppage time with 10 men after Lemina was dismissed, earning a second yellow card for a tug on Nicolo Zaniolo.

And Villa nearly cashed in with the last touch of the game when Watkins thumped the base of the post.

Victory would have lifted Villa into the Champions League spots, after Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Brighton.

“It’s a derby and we felt it on the pitch. There are a lot of supporters with us, they are pushing, it was a great atmosphere,” said Emery, who also called leaving without a handshake ‘nothing’.

“We tried to focus on the match. We reacted to the goal very quickly, it was key, and in 11 v 11 we created more chances but they had some very good transitions and chances.

“When they had a red card it was the moment where we tried to get the advantage.

“We are ambitious and very demanding. The first half we started very well but we lost a bit of control. We weren’t controlling the game and at that moment I was frustrated and upset.”