Ollie Watkins is a real candidate to be the Premier League player of the season | Aston Villa
Yessomeone younger Aston Villa Fans would be forgiven for not being aware of Peter Withe's career. Withe was the last player to score 20 league goals in a season for the club, in 1980-81, the last time Villa won the top flight. Withe's scoring record has stood for more than 40 years, but is likely to be broken before the season is over.
Ollie Watkins scored his 19th league goal of the season on Sunday at the Emirates, potentially putting a nail in the coffin of Arsenal's title challenge. Arsenal are just two points behind the leaders with six games remaining, but The Manchester City giant is relentless.. This time last season they went on a 12-win streak to secure the title, the first stage of a treble they want to repeat this year. Given how City are playing (they haven't lost since their defeat at Villa Park in December – Watkins' late goal on Sunday was a blow to Arsenal's title chase.
Watkins has been exceptional since Unai Emery took charge of Villa in November 2022. He has scored 32 league goals in that time; only Erling Haaland (39) has more. Haaland and Cole Palmer currently lead the race for the golden boot with 20 goals each, but Watkins has them looking over his shoulder. No Villa player has won the golden boot in the first division was.
“I think his best is yet to come,” Emery said of Watkins last month. His goal on Sunday showed the England international at its best. Watkins, who timed his run perfectly to stay in play and latch onto the ball from Youri Tielemans upfield, brilliantly held off Martin Ødegaard before finishing delicately past David Raya. His second touch appeared to have taken the ball too wide but, even from such a tight angle, the Villa striker finished brilliantly to take the three points.
Watkins has been prolific in the league and in Europe, scoring seven goals in the Conference League to guide Villa to the semi-finals. His goal tally is even more impressive when you consider that none of them have come from penalties – Douglas Luiz is on penalty duty for Villa this season. Watkins has scored 19 non-penalty goals in the league, at least three more than any other player. While Haaland (four) and Palmer (nine) have relied on penalties to boost their numbers, Watkins doesn't have that luxury. The 28-year-old has to rely on his intelligent movement and quality of finishing in open play.
Watkins isn't just contributing goals for Villa this season. Of course, a striker's main goal is to put the ball in the back of the net, something he does at an extremely high level, but he has also contributed 10 assists; No one has scored more goals than Watkins and no one has been directly involved in more goals (29). He is also the only player in the division to record double figures in both goals and assists.
No wonder Emi Martinez has talked up the possibility of Watkins being named player of the season after Villa beat Arsenal on Sunday. “I think Ollie should win the player of the season award,” the goalkeeper said. “When you play for a big six team you get more credit, but Ollie has scored 19 goals with the opportunities he has had.” The idea has weight. It's an accolade often reserved for title winners. Manchester City and Liverpool players They have dominated the award for the last six seasons, but Watkins deserves to be included in the conversation alongside Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Rodri, Haaland and Palmer.
Looking at the bigger picture, attention will soon turn to Gareth Southgate's squad for Euro 2024. Harry Kane will be the undisputed starting striker this summer, but his understudy's role is up for grabs. Ivan Toney's performances for Brentford have forced him to take the situation into account again. He has excelled following his return to action and came on well for Kane against Belgium last month, scoring his first international goal. In terms of comparable cover for Kane, Toney is perhaps the best option, but Watkins' goalscoring form and his ability to put others into play suggest he could be an ideal link-up for the national team.
When you consider the England team's attacking players – Saka, Foden, Palmer, Jude Bellingham and Jarrod Bowen have all comfortably reached double figures in goals in the league this season – Watkins' unselfishness could be ideal for Southgate. He has already cemented his place as a Villa fans' favorite and, as Emery says, the best is yet to come. By the time the season comes to an end, he may have gotten the club into the Champions League and won a European trophy before heading to Germany to represent England. Before that, however, Watkins needs to score a couple more league goals in order to write his name in Villa's history books.
