The English Premier League side showed the gulf in class as they cruised to a 5-0 victory in the first leg of the playoff.
The Premier League outfit effectively killed off the Europa Conference League play-off tie in 90 minutes. An Ollie Watkins hat-trick, Leon Bailey’s header and a Douglas Luiz penalty ended the Hibees’ slim hopes of progressing to the group stage. And it could have been worse for gaffer Lee Johnson as the English side passed up several other chances to inflict an even heavier defeat.
Key Hibs issue continues It’s been Hibs’ achilles heel for a long time now but - while they’ll always pose a threat in attack - they’re defensively weak. And those frailties at the back were brutally exposed by Villa at Easter Road. The Frenchman provided countless crosses which led to goals or chances. And it wasn’t much easier for Lewis Stevenson on the other side of the pitch, having to deal with the likes of Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby.
He had plenty of support in the likes of Diaby and McGinn. But in terms of playing that lone striker role, Watkins was exemplary and it’s no wonder he’s an England international.
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