大象传媒

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.

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