‘Fantastic’ record-breaker Watkins ‘shows weight in gold’

“I said from the start when I joined the club, that’s what I had my eyes on,” says Ollie Watkins.

Now it’s official. He is Aston Villa’s record Premier League goalscorer.

Watkins’ winner against Bournemouth was his 75th league goal for the club and moved him one clear of Gabby Agbonlahor’s previous record haul.

It marks a dramatic return to favour for the 29-year-old, who joined from Brentford in 2020.

When he equalled Agbonlahor’s record in April, Watkins said he was “fuming” with his lack of game time – calling out his manager Unai Emery.

But, four matches later, he’s once again Villa’s main man with his boss calling his achievement “very fantastic”.

“He deserves it completely because he is a hard worker,” said Emery. “He is committed with Aston Villa.

On Saturday at a sun-kissed Bournemouth, Watkins guided Morgan Rogers’ low cross into the bottom corner with a delicate, deft touch.

It was his 16th Premier League goal of the season – no other Englishman has more.

Longevity is key. Watkins has scored at least 10 league goals in all five of his seasons at Villa, helping him move ahead of Dwight Yorke, Dion Dublin and Juan Pablo Angel in the club’s top-scorer charts.

“It’s a big achievement – some unbelievable players have played for this club,” Watkins told BBC Match of the Day.

“You look at the names, so to be up there on the top of that I’m really proud. It’s a great achievement.”

This season, Watkins has had to battle for a starting place with Jhon Duran, who then moved to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr for £71m in January, and Marcus Rashford, who joined on loan from Manchester United in the same window.

Watkins had started each of Villa’s first 14 Premier League matches, but was limited to two league starts and three substitute appearances in April, and did not start either of Villa’s Champions League quarter-final matches against Paris St-Germain.

With Emery preferring Rashford in the starting XI, speculation was rife Watkins may leave Villa.

The club had already rejected a £40m bid for the England forward from Arsenal in January.

But Rashford was ruled out for the rest of the season last month with a hamstring injury and, since then, Watkins has returned up front to shine again.

“He’s shown his weight in gold,” former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie told Sky Sports.

Watkins’ winner ensures Villa cannot finish lower than seventh this season, meaning the Birmingham side will, at worst, qualify for next season’s Uefa Conference League.

Emery’s side have reached Europe for a third consecutive season, and still have a decent shot of a Champions League return via a top-five finish.

Indeed, Villa’s victory boosted their chances of qualifying for the Champions League from 15.5% before the weekend to 34.2% according to the Opta supercomputer.

“I think it is massive for us,” Watkins told Sky Sports. “There are a lot of teams that are pushing for Champions League spots and it is going down to the wire.”

Villa are currently sixth and level on points with fourth and fifth-placed Newcastle and Chelsea, who play each other on Sunday.