Villa were having an off-day, 1-0 down to rivals Wolves on Saturday when Duran replaced Jacob Ramsey in the 62nd minute.
The home fans greeted his arrival with a wall of noise.
Just 11 minutes later he won a loose ball on the edge of the box and fed Morgan Rogers who in turn set up Watkins for Villa’s equaliser.
After Ezri Konsa put the hosts ahead in the 88th minute, Duran struck in the fourth minute of added time following a well-timed run and calm finish after Morgan’s pass across goal.
“He’s a big talent,” team-mate Konsa told BBC Match of the Day. “We see it every day in training. It’s important for him to stay humble and we’ll help him do that. He’s still young.”
The stats make impressive reading.
Six of Villa’s past 12 Premier League goals have been scored by Duran after he came off the bench.
The 20-year-old has scored a goal every 80 minutes across his league career. Only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has a better ratio with a strike every 79 minutes (minimum two goals scored).
Duran’s three winning goals as a substitute – which equate to one every 33 minutes – are the joint-most for winners in a single Premier League season.
But he still has some way to go to match Adam le Fondre’s record of eight as a sub, winners or not, in a single campaign.
While Jermain Defoe (24) has the most all-time Premier League goals as a substitute. Duran, who has eight, is not even in the top 40.