Ollie Watkins scores twice as Aston Villa climbed up in their Premier League table. The striker scored his 11th and 12th goals of the season, showing his quality and confidence after a recent drought.
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Ollie Watkins scores twice ending the goal drought
Ollie Watkins opened the scoring in the 24th minute when he latched onto a long ball from Tyrone Mings and slotted past Alphonse Areola. He doubled his tally in the 63rd minute after a clever flick from Bertrand Traore set him free in the box. Watkins calmly finished with his left foot, giving Villa a two-goal cushion.
The 25-year-old had gone seven games without scoring, but he showed no signs of rustiness as he took his chances with aplomb. Watkins has now scored 12 goals in his debut Premier League season, making him the joint-fourth-highest scorer in the league.
Watkins has been a revelation for Villa since joining from Brentford for a club-record fee of £28 million in September. He has adapted well to the top flight, scoring against some of the best teams in the league, including Liverpool, Arsenal, and Leicester. He has also formed a formidable partnership with Grealish, who has provided him with six assists.
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Watkins has been praised by his manager, teammates, and pundits for his work rate, movement, and finishing. He has also shown versatility, playing as a lone striker, a second striker, and a winger. He has been involved in 15 goals in 28 games, contributing three assists as well as 12 goals.
Fulham fights back but falls short
Fulham pulled one back in the 74th minute when Aleksandar Mitrovic headed in a cross from Kenny Tete. The hosts pushed for an equalizer, but Villa held on to secure their first away win since January.
The Cottagers remain in the relegation zone, three points behind Newcastle, who have a game in hand. Fulham have shown some improvement under Scott Parker, but they need to start converting their chances if they want to avoid the drop.
Fulham have scored only 23 goals in 29 games, the second-lowest tally in the league. They have also failed to score in 13 games, the most in the league. Their lack of firepower has cost them valuable points, as they have drawn 11 games, the most in the league.
Parker has tried different combinations of strikers, but none of them have been consistent enough. Mitrovic, who was the top scorer in the Championship last season with 26 goals, has only scored three goals in the Premier League this season. He has also been dropped from the starting line-up several times, as Parker has preferred Josh Maja, Ivan Cavaleiro, or Ademola Lookman.
Fulham have also struggled defensively, conceding 41 goals in 29 games, the fourth-highest in the league. They have kept only nine clean sheets, the seventh-lowest in the league. They have also been vulnerable to set-pieces, conceding 14 goals from them, the most in the league.
Villa keeps Champions League hopes alive
The result lifted Villa to fourth place with 49 points, one point ahead of Tottenham, who lost 2-1 to Wolves at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Villa have a game in hand over Spurs and are only three points behind third-placed Leicester City.
Villa have been one of the surprise packages of the season, with Dean Smith transforming them from relegation battlers to European contenders. With Jack Grealish still sidelined with injury, Watkins has stepped up as the main source of goals for Villa.
Villa has also been impressive defensively, conceding only 28 goals in 27 games, the third-lowest in the league. They have kept 14 clean sheets, the second-highest in the league. They have also been solid at the back, with Mings, Ezri Konsa, Matt Targett, and Matty Cash forming a reliable back four.
Villa have also been boosted by the performances of their goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, who has been one of the best signings of the season. The Argentine joined from Arsenal for £20 million in September and has been a revelation for Villa. He has made 111 saves, the third-highest in the league. He has also saved three penalties, the most in the league.
Villa have a tough run-in, with games against Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea still to come. However, they have shown that they can compete with the best, as they have beaten Liverpool 7-2, Arsenal 3-0, and Leicester 1-0 this season. They will need to maintain their form and consistency if they want to secure a Champions League spot.
Watkins impresses Southgate
Watkins also impressed England manager Gareth Southgate, who was watching from the stands. Watkins is hoping to earn a call-up for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, and his display against Fulham will have boosted his chances.
Watkins has shown that he can score goals at the highest level, and he could be a valuable option for England in the summer. With Harry Kane, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Marcus Rashford all vying for the striker role, Watkins will have to keep up his form to make the cut.
Watkins has also shown that he can link up well with other players, as he has done with Grealish at Villa. He could also benefit from the creativity of players like Phil Foden, Mason Mount, and Jadon Sancho in England. He has also shown that he can play in different positions and systems, as he has done under Smith at Villa.
Watkins has never played for England at any level, but he has been on Southgate’s radar for a while. He was named in the provisional squad for the Nations League games in November, but he did not make the final cut. He will be hoping that his performance against Fulham will convince Southgate to give him a chance in March.
