McGinn defends Watkins after penalty miss in Villa win | OneFootball

Aston Villa captain John McGinn has backed team-mate Ollie Watkins after the striker missed a penalty in their 1-0 Europa League win over Bologna.

Villa started their European campaign strongly at Villa Park, with McGinn scoring the decisive goal after just 13 minutes to secure victory.

Watkins came off the bench in the second half and had the chance to double the lead from the penalty spot, but failed to convert.

The miss extended his run without a goal to eight matches for both club and country, increasing outside pressure on the forward.

McGinn urges patience as Watkins struggles in front of goal

Speaking after the match, McGinn insisted Watkins’ contribution to the team goes far beyond goals and urged against adding unnecessary criticism.

“He’s a top class striker. He’s not in the England squad for nothing,” McGinn told TNT Sports.

“He’s shown over the years how good he is. If he’s not scoring, that’s fine. You’ve seen the effort he puts in for the team.

“We do not need to put any pressure on him and add to any external noise. He’s been brilliant for us and has got nothing to prove to us.”

Villa still seeking improvement in league form

While satisfied with the win, McGinn admitted Villa’s domestic form has not been good enough and called for a collective response.

“It was important to get a win at home. Not our strongest start to the season, especially here,” he said.

“We missed the penalty which could have made it a more difficult night. At this stage, we will take anything that is coming.

“It’s a collective responsibility. We’ve not been good enough, it’s as simple as that. We know we need to turn it round but there is quality there and tonight we showed it. It’s not enough.”

Villa are currently 18th in the Premier League with just one goal from their opening five league matches. They now prepare to host Fulham at Villa Park.