Ollie Watkins returned to haunt old club Brentford once more as Aston Villa closed on the Premier League's top four with a 1-0 win in west London on Saturday.

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The England striker has now scored six times in his last six games against the Bees but had Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken to thank for his part in the winner.

Victory lifts Villa up to seventh and within two points of the top four to round off a fine week for Unai Emery's men. After progressing to the FA Cup quarter-finals last weekend, Villa took a giant stride towards the last eight of the Champions League with a 3-1 away win in the first leg of their last 16 tie against Club Brugge on Tuesday.

"We have to be extremely demanding for the rest of the season," said Emery.

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"Now we are really hungry to play the last two-and-a-half months (of the season). We lost something in our way this year and we have to try to recover it now, especially in the Premier League."

Emery had to cope without the injured Emi Martinez, while Marcus Rashford dropped to the bench in the Spaniard's only two changes from midweek.

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Villa had won just one of their last seven Premier League games to place their chances of a Champions League return next season in serious jeopardy.

But they ground out a vital three points as Brentford's prolific forward duo of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa failed to fire. After a flat first half, the game came to life just four minutes into the second period when Watkins' powerful low shot slipped through Flekken's grasp.

Moments later the visitors thought they had a second as Watkins this time played provider for Morgan Rogers to stroke home. However, a VAR review for offside came to Brentford's rescue. The home side did most of the pressing in the final half hour.

Keane Lewis-Potter came closest to an equaliser when his shot from outside the box hit the post. Villa, though, should have made a nervy finale more comfortable when Watkins raced clean through but got the execution on an attempted chip over Flekken all wrong.

A first away league win in nearly two months brings Villa right back into contention for the Champions League places. A top-five finish is almost certain to be enough due to the strong performance of English sides in European competition this season.

Villa are now just one point outside the top five as five points separate Manchester City in fourth from Fulham in 10th.

Barca Liga match postponed after club doctor dies

Barcelona's La Liga match against Osasuna was postponed on Saturday after one of the club's first team doctors died. "Barcelona is sorry to announce the sad news of the death of the first team doctor, Carles Minarro Garcia, this afternoon," said the club in a statement.

"For this reason, the match between Barcelona and Osasuna has been postponed until a later date. "The board of directors and all the staff at Barcelona wish to convey our most sincere condolences to his family and friends, we are with them at this difficult time."

Fans had begun entering the Olympic stadium for the league leaders' clash against Osasuna, before it was called off around 20 minutes before the expected kick off at 2000 GMT.

"I still can't believe it, a big hug to the family and friends of Carles," wrote Barcelona midfielder Pedri in a post on social media network Instagram.

The doctor, 53, leaves behind a wife and two children, said Barcelona president Joan Laporta. "This is incredibly painful news for Barcelona, it has left us heartbroken, in shock, because it was so sudden," said Laporta.

"We contacted his mother and his wife, to express our condolences and support them in these incredibly painful moments...

"It is our duty to be there for all of them, his wife, his children, his mother."

The doctor had been working with different Barcelona sides since 2017, and began working with the men's football first team a few months ago. Osasuna president Luis Sabalza said his team had no objection whatsoever to the match being postponed.

"We understand that life is the most important thing and you can't play a game thinking that the person with whom you've lived with for so long is not there any more," he told DAZN.

Osasuna offered their condolences in a post on social media platform X. "Osasuna wishes to convey its deepest condolences to the family of doctor Carles Minarro Garcia and would like to send a big hug at this difficult time to all the staff of Barcelona, as well as their fans. May he rest in peace," wrote the club.

On Monday Villarreal's game against Espanyol in La Liga was also postponed because of a heavy rain alert in the region.

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