Aston Villa 1-0 Fulham: Nervy Villans get Champions League-Achtervolging back on the right track while the first half of Youri Tielemans Putten spicy Cottagers

One down, three to go. Aston Villa the first of the four wins they may need to return to the Champions League Next season, but they will have to play better than this to reach them.

Youri Tielemans‘Header in the first half was enough to sink Fulham keep Unai EmeryThe men on the hunt for a top six finish and the result will put pressure on their rivals for a top-five finish, who still have to play this weekend.

Yet it was a way of a return to top form and it seemed that Villa was not completely shaken by their humiliation by Crystal Palace in the Fa -Cup Semi -final.

The home team seemed to have edgy everywhere Ollie Watkins And Pau Torres missed opportunities to double the management.

Still, Villa should have established them in the 12th minute. Morgan Rogers produced a nice piece of skill to slide in from the left and find Marco Asensio, whose shot was diverted.

From John McGinn’s Corner, Tielemans operated a gap in the Zonal Markering System of Fulham to float between Harry Wilson and Kenny Tete and the main goal. Although Bernd Leno got a hand on the ball, he could not keep it out.

Youri Tielemans scored the only goal for Aston Villa while giving a crucial victory over Fulham

The Belgian shot a powerful header past Bernd Leno in the 12th minute of the collision in Villa Park

Fulham thought they were leveled by Ryan Sessegnon after the interval, but the effort was chalked for handball

Perhaps crafted by their FA Cup semi-final thrashing by Crystal Palace, Villa was careful without the ball, but Fulham was still struggling to cut them open.

Just before half -time, Raul Jimenez‘s quirky effort was greeted with songs from’ We had a shot ‘off the road fans.

Villa may have played a little faster. At one point it even insisted that Ross Barkley encouraged his teammates to get on the gas a bit. However, that is not the way of Unai Emery.

Only an excellent rescue from Leno stopped Tielemans’ doubled the lead from 25 meters and when a goal post was wrongly awarded, the Fulham-Man gave a sad smile. Every keeper would have wanted such an impressive stop.

Just like Tielemans, John McGinn had a great first half and should have had an assist to his name in the first minute after the restart.

The Scot put it on a plate for Ollie Watkins, but Villa’s top scorer got in a jumble and the chance was lost. On the other hand, the vital block of Ezri Konsa Sasa Lukic denied after Villa arrived at the back.

Moments later, Ryan Sessegnon Konsa’s effort cut off and went to the left post of Emiliano Martinez, but the goal was rightly excluded for handball. Then Wilson tried an ambitious first lob about Martinez when he had the time and space to make a touch.

With only one goal to catch up with Gabby Agbonlaor as the leading Premier League scorer of Villa, Ollie Watkins was clearly sent by Rogers, but brought his shot too close to Leno. In the meantime Jacob Ramsey had replaced the ineffective Asensio, while McGinn – surprisingly – had also been removed.

Fulham remains eighth after the defeat, but their hope for European qualification suffered a big blow

Villa’s first clean slate in five games helped them to move on points with Nottingham Forest and Chelsea

Ramsey collected the ball from Watkins and rode the distant pole where Pau Torres had not registered an unfounded goal in one way or another. Fulham’s faith grew and then replacement Adama Traore crossed, Matty Cash initially missed his permission before he made up for it with a great block to stop Joachim Andersen.

The pain continued for the home team in stopping time when replacement Donyell Malen hit the bottom of the bar, but Villa held.