By video: Martinelli and Watkins fire past Al-Taawoun to return Al-Hilal to the top

"The Leader" regained its winning touch

Gabriel Martinelli and Ollie Watkins fired Al-Hilal back to the summit of the Saudi Roshn League, leading a thumping win over Al-Taawoun.

The two sides met on Saturday at Al-Taawoun's stadium in Buraidah in the seventh round, and Al-Hilal ran out 6-0 winners.

Watkins opened the scoring in the ninth minute. He latched onto a long ball from Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves, raced clear one-on-one with the goalkeeper and slotted home superbly.

Nine minutes later, Martinelli doubled the lead. The Brazilian pounced on a loose ball inside the box after it rebounded off the defence, then fired it skilfully into the net.

Martinelli grabbed his second and Al-Hilal's third in the 43rd minute. Watkins threaded a through ball, the winger went one-on-one with the keeper and buried it.

A brace was not enough. Martinelli completed his first Al-Hilal hat-trick in the 50th minute, turning home a low cross from Dutch winger Crysencio Summerville with ease.

Watkins made it two for himself and five for his side in the 56th minute. A fine burst from midfield took him clear of the Al-Taawoun goalkeeper before he tucked the ball away.

The Englishman turned provider in the 75th minute, this time for substitute Sultan Mandash, who met Watkins' cross and turned it in for the sixth.

The result gets Al-Hilal back to winning ways after their shock 2-0 defeat to Neom last time out.

"The Leader" reclaimed the winning habit and top spot in one afternoon. They now sit on 18 points, one clear of second-placed Al-Ittihad and two ahead of Al-Qadsiah in third.

Al-Taawoun, meanwhile, slumped to a fourth defeat in their opening seven games. Three draws and no wins leave them on three points, 17th and second from bottom.