Aston Villa has to focus on “clever” Ollie Watkins more frequently after outperforming Manchester City 100% of the first half.
On Wednesday, December 6, Aston Villa welcomed Manchester City to Villa Park, eager to secure three points following their lacklustre performance against Bournemouth.
Despite his impressive work at the Midlands club, Unai Emery will have been quite upset that Sunday’s (3 December) draw with the Cherries was all that happened.
Pep Guardiola, on the other hand, would have been revved up for the encounter after his team drew 3-3 with Tottenham at home on Sunday after the latter scored a late equaliser.
And despite the busy schedule, Emery was left with no choice but to start star striker Ollie Watkins once more given his superb season so far.
The England international now boasts 13 goals in all competitions following his late equaliser in the 2-2 stalemate at the Vitality Stadium.
And while he didn’t manage to find the back of the net in the first half against Manchester City, he did impress in other areas, with Watkins winning four of his six ground duels, completing 100% of his passes, making one interception and one tackle, and completing his two dribbles (100%), as per
Pat Nevin, who was reported by BBC Sport as saying on BBC Radio 5 Live (8.22pm, December 6) said of the striker’s impressive moment at Villa Park: “Manchester City tried to play offside, it looked like a great line with Watkins the obvious ball to play.” However, Watkins used cunning to leave the ball so Bailey could run with it and attempt a goal.
The major goal for the Villa players in the second half should be to get the ball to the deadly Watkins as much as possible, since the visitors are always going to be dangerous with players like Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, and Julian Alvarez among others.
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