Aston Villa 2 Watford 3: How Aston Villa could have avoided defeat and given relegation fight major boost

ANALYSIS: We've teamed up with Sports Interactive, the makers of Football Manager, to re-run one the weekend's key game to see how the losers might have prevailed had they done things differently

Micah Richards of Aston Villa (GETTY IMAGES)

Aston Villa and new manager Remi Garde would have viewed the home match against Watford as a must win match in their battle against relegation, making the 3-2 defeat at the weekend all the more crushing. So how might things have turned out differently?

THE RE-RUN

With Watford's team and formation remaining the same, Sports Interactive simulated the game over again with various Aston Villa line-ups and tactics until it produced an alternative result.

Formation: 4-4-1-1

Line-up: Guzan, Hutton, Richards, Lescott, Richardson, Traore, Gueye, Sanchez, Sinclair, Gil, Ayew (two changes from original line-up; Watford remain unchanged)

Final Score: Aston Villa 2-0 Watford (Scorers: Traore, Ayew)

Saturday’s home defeat to Quique Sanchez Flores’ Hornets left Aston Villa five points adrift at the foot of the Premier League table. One consolation for Villa fans is that their team put in an encouraging performance, dominating possession and matching Watford in terms of shots on target. In this replay in the virtual world, Villa are able to turn their supremacy with possession into goals either side of half-time. Remi Garde’s side are also able to restrict Watford to half-chances and efforts from outside the box as they record a win and a clean sheet for the first time in the league since the opening round of fixtures.

Adama Traore and Scott Sinclair prove to be driving forces behind Villa’s success. The virtual Garde instructs them to run at the Watford full-backs and they frequently find their way into the Watford box. Sinclair’s pace in particular proves too much for Nyom as the Villa man completes six successful dribbles into the area, three of which result in shots on target. This attacking intent draws the Villa midfield further forward as well; both Sanchez and Gueye position themselves higher up the pitch over the course of the match and only drop further back once Villa are comfortably in control of proceedings.

Both of Villa’s goals come as a result of the increased from Villa’s midfield with Carles Gil involved in each goal. Traore’s opener comes as a result of Gueye winning the ball from Ben Watson on the halfway line. He moves the ball on to Sinclair whose whipped cross into the box is met by the head of Gil and parried by Gomes; Traore latches onto the resulting rebound and the winger prods the ball home from within ten yards.

Villa score their second on the hour mark through Jordan Ayew and it’s the wingers once more who instigate the attack. Sinclair picks the ball up just inside the Watford half , beats Nyom and plays a delightful cross-field pass into the path of Traore. The former Barcelona man plays a one-two with Gil and collects the return pass behind the Watford backline before unselfishly squaring the ball to Ayew for a simple tap-in.

Watford have a poor day at the office with Paredes and Abdi marked out of the game and Deeney struggling to link up with Ighalo. Flores’ men put just two shots on target and have their tempo disrupted by Villa’s strategy of pressing high up the pitch. Watford’s best chance of the match is the last real action of the contest as Ighalo turns Lescott and hits an effort towards the top corner but Guzan produces an excellent stop to turn it over the bar.

Football Manager uses a vast database - compiled by approximately 1,300 researchers across the world (including real-life scouts) - to blend reality and fiction. So impressive is the information that it has become a tool used by real life managers. The painstakingly detailing simulation of club management, which allows players to control every aspect of a manager's role, from scouting new player to tactics and training, has sold millions of copies worldwide.