ASTON VILLA maintained their push for Champions League football next season  – but only just – with a 3-2 win over Luton Town, reports the Voice of Sport from Kenilworth Road.

A brace from Ollie Watkins and a late winner by Lucas Digne saw off the Hatters, but the defeat was a bitter pill for the home side having valiantly fought back from a two goal first half deficit looking set for a least a share of the spoils.

In short, Villa’s first half display was sublime. Their passing was crisp, their movement irresistable, the vision of Douglas Luiz, the trickery of Leon Bailey, the industry of John McGinn and, of course, the finishing of Ollie Watkins each contributing to a first half that even had some home supporters purring despite themselves.

England man Watkins stole the headlines. Post match, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was asked about the qualities that his star striker possesses and was happy to eulogise. Watkins has now notched up 16 Premier League goals and is also in double figures for assists.

“He is an example for other players. Every day he works hard and tries to learn more. His mentality is to increase his level. He is scoring, defending set-pieces. It is difficult to find players with a better mentality than his. As a person he is humble. He avoids the ego and it doesn’t change him. As a person he is fantastic and as a professional,” said the Spaniard of the former Exeter and Brentford forward who he agreed has grown into one of the best strikers Europe.

Watkins’s first-half brace put the visitors in complete control. First he rose, unchallenged to head home a Bailey corner kick, then he raced on to an exquisitely disguised through-ball from Luiz to double the lead. And that should have been it, other than for a combination of Villa complacency and Luton tenacity after the break.

Though the contest was a mismatch in terms of quality, for grit and determination alone Luton deserved a share of the spoils, which was a source of real regret for manager Rob Edwards. Tahith Chong initiated the ultimately fruitless rear-guard action in the 66^th minute – picking up the scraps from a goal mouth scramble after sustained pressure from the hosts – and then Carlton Morris levelled matters six minutes later with a controlled volley from Alfie Doughty’s free-kick.

Luton had an opportunity to gain a winner, again, through Morris before the Villa sucker-punch landed in the 89^th minute.

Perhaps fearing capitulation, Emery had made a statement quadruple substitution after Villa’s two goal surrender. And it paid off. Two of the new entrants, French compatriots Moussa Diaby and Digne combined with the former crossing and the latter nodding home.

So Villa were off the hook, leaving some breathing space in the league table between themselves in fourth and Tottenham in fifth who they face next weekend.