Ollie Watkins has urged Aston Villa and their supporters to stay grounded amid growing Premier League title discussions, following his crucial double strike in Villa’s 2-1 win at Chelsea. As Unai Emery’s side maintains an impressive run through the festive period, their upcoming match against leaders Arsenal adds extra intrigue to the title race.
Once again, Villa showcased resilience on the road, securing their 11th consecutive victory. Watkins came off the bench just before the hour mark and quickly transformed the match’s momentum. He first equalized in the 64th minute before heading home the winning goal, beating Chelsea’s goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
“It’s an amazing win,” Watkins told Sky Sports. “To come on and score two goals is a great feeling personally, but maintaining this run and beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is incredible.”
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Watkins credited Emery’s tactical adjustments for the turnaround, explaining how Arsenal’s former coach shifted the formation to gain an extra man in midfield. “He changed it because Chelsea were going man for man, but they had an extra center-back when we played long balls. Bringing on Jadon Sancho and Morgan Rogers on the wings and Youri Tielemans in the number 10 role gave us more midfield presence. Emery is a tactical genius.”
When asked if Aston Villa sees themselves as title contenders, Watkins remained measured. “Teams are definitely wary of us, even if our football isn’t always the flashiest. We focus on taking each game as it comes and concentrating on ourselves. There’s plenty of talk about us winning the title, but it’s a long journey ahead. Our focus is solely on the next game.”
This season, Watkins has scored five Premier League goals, including a previous brace in the Brighton win earlier this month. Reflecting on his recent performances, he said: “I’m not exactly where I want to be yet, but I’ll use these moments as a springboard to push harder throughout the season. I can’t say the first goal was elegant, but I’ll gladly take it.”
Regarding the winning header, Watkins remarked, “My marker wasn’t tight, so it was almost a free header. It’s nice to see the ball float perfectly into the corner.”