Aston Villa: Ollie Watkins can now smell England opportunity after Bukayo Saka news and Eddie Nketiah form
Ollie Watkins was a surprise omission from England’s last squad but has so far done his prospects no harm after recent Aston Villa form and he could well be in line for a deserved Gareth Southgate call after a recent injury news.
The 27-year-old followed up his winner against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge with a hat-trick in a 6-1 win over Brighton on Saturday as Three Lions boss Southgate watched on from the stands at Villa Park.
Watkins is also relishing competing in Europe which will certainly hand him pleasing exposure, with Villa ending a 13-year absence from continental action in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
And his sparkling form and crucial importance for Aston Villa and Unai Emery have deservedly meant that he is well in line for a new contract at Villa Park, after Fabrizio Romano’s update on 30 September.
However, while he’ll be helping his side right the wrongs from their opening-day Europa Conference League defeat to Legia Warsaw, Watkins will be hoping he walks out at Villa Park on Thursday an England player with Southgate set to announce his squad for the upcoming international’s against Australia and Italy in the afternoon.
And it may well be that Southgate simply has no choice but to turn to Watkins as one of his regulars looks set to be ruled out.
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka went off with a muscular problem in the first half of Arsenal’s 2-1 Champions League loss to Lens on Tuesday [3 October], with manager Mikel Arteta later saying the injury “does not look good”.
Given Southgate names his squad on Thursday [5 October], there is a very high chance Saka will not be included. While Watkins does not play a similar position to Saka, he’ll certainly be challenging the likes of another Arsenal star for a call-up in Eddie Nketiah.
Nketiah was a surprise call-up in the last England internationals at the expense of Watkins but given both players’ forms right now, it would be an absolute shock if Southgate were to leave Watkins out after watching what he did against Brighton first-hand.
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