Ollie Watkins’ devastating hat-trick helped ruthless Aston Villa mark their return to European football with a first-leg Europa Conference League play-off demolition of Hibernian.
Hibs hero John McGinn’s Easter Road homecoming dominated much of the pre-match build-up, but England striker Watkins will rightly grab the headlines after a phenomenal display at a sell-out Easter Road.
Following a bright start, the Scottish Premiership side could not deal with their clinical Premier League visitors upping the ante as Watkins glanced in a sublime header before nodding in a second at the back post.
Leon Bailey then powered in a close-range header of his own to put Villa – regarded as tournament favourites by many – in complete control at the break in their first European game in 13 years.
Watkins thought the offside flag had denied him a treble just after the interval, but the VAR reviewed his first-time finish past David Marshall, with Douglas Luiz’s penalty sealing a record-equalling European win for Unai Emery’s side.
Next Thursday’s second leg at Villa Park will be about damage limitation for Hibs and manager Lee Johnson, who watched his side crumble in his 500th game as a manager after his brave attacking line-up had briefly rattled the visitors in the early exchanges.
