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After a promising start at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, Emery's side survived a scare as Santiago Castro bundled over the line from a deflection off Konsa, though the goal was swiftly ruled out following a VAR review for offside in the build-up. 

Bologna sought to respond quickly and nearly did as Lewis Ferguson's close-range strike clipped the underside of the crossbar before Villa took the lead on the stroke of half-time. 

Youri Tielemans's whipped corner floated narrowly over Federico Ravaglia's fingertips, allowing Ezri Konsa to powerfully nod home at the far post to put Villa ahead against the run of play. 

Watkins doubled Villa's advantage six minutes after the restart in emphatic fashion as Torbjorn Heggem cheaply turned over to Emi Buendia, whose unknowing touch teed up Watkins to slide through Ravaglia's legs. 

Federico Bernardeschi went close late on, firing into the side netting from Jonathan Rowe’s cut-back, before Rowe reduced the deficit with a superb curling effort on the stroke of full-time. 

However, Villa had the final say as Bologna again failed to deal with a Tielemans corner, allowing Watkins to tap in from close range and restore their two-goal cushion.