{"id":302728,"date":"2023-12-17T19:24:06","date_gmt":"2023-12-17T19:24:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/?p=302728"},"modified":"2023-12-17T19:24:06","modified_gmt":"2023-12-17T19:24:06","slug":"ollie-watkins-says-his-goal-celebration-was-sparked-by-abuse-from-brentford-fan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportstons.com\/soccer\/ollie-watkins-says-his-goal-celebration-was-sparked-by-abuse-from-brentford-fan\/","title":{"rendered":"Ollie Watkins says his goal celebration was sparked by abuse from Brentford fan"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Ollie Watkins feels his celebration after scoring Aston Villa\u2019s late winner at former club Brentford was \u201conly right\u201d after a Bees fan abused him \u201call game\u201d.<\/p>\n
The hosts opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time through Keane Lewis-Potter but, after Ben Mee\u2019s 71st-minute red card, goals from Alex Moreno and Watkins saw Villa turn the game on its head.<\/p>\n
Watkins\u2019 celebrations sparked an on-field melee, with Ezri Konsa and Saman Ghoddos yellow-carded during the ruckus before Boubacar Kamara was also dismissed deep into stoppage time following a scuffle with Yehor Yarmoliuk.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a feisty game and it spurred from my celebrations after I scored,\u201d Watkins told Sky Sports.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not down to the lack of respect to the Brentford fans but there was one individual who was abusing me all game so I felt like it was only right to celebrate in front of him.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was directed to him and that caused a reaction in the last 15 minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Villa called for the matter to be investigated.<\/p>\n
The club posted on X: \u201cAston Villa FC wants to express its support for Ollie Watkins and, with the utmost respect for the big majority of Brentford fans and for the club, we ask the authorities to investigate this incident to find this individual.<\/p>\n
\u201cZero tolerance to abuse in football.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bees head coach Thomas Frank added: \u201cOllie and I went to each other after the game and he said there was a situation with a fan.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know Ollie is a top person of top integrity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Referee David Coote showed 10 yellow cards to players in total, with Frank and Villa boss Unai Emery also cautioned during an intense affair in west London.<\/p>\n
The victory extended high-flying Villa\u2019s unbeaten Premier League run to six games and kept them within a point of Arsenal, but Emery acknowledged his players need to control themselves better going forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur behaviour is usually fantastic but today it was not good and I need to explain to the players how we should react when under pressure and in circumstances,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t want this behaviour. There were two red cards in a very tight result and I think we were under pressure and were trying to control our minds.\u201d<\/p>\n
France midfielder Kamara is now set to miss Villa\u2019s festive fixtures against Sheffield United, Manchester United and Burnley through suspension, much to the frustration of Emery.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe big problem today is the red card of Kamara,\u201d the Villa manager said. \u201cThis is the biggest problem for us.\u201d<\/p>\n