Will Ollie Watkins start for Aston Villa vs Brighton - latest as team news hint emerges
An update on Ollie Watkins and his likelihood to start for Aston Villa against Brighton.
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins was benched away at Preston North End on Sunday, prompting concerns he is yet to fully recover from his injury sustained before the international break.
Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford started as the lone striker instead of Watkins at Deepdale and claimed the Player of the Match award after scoring his first two goals in claret and blue. Jacob Ramsey netted the other - a stunning solo strike - to round off a 3-0 victory and secure Villa a place in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley.
The attention now reverts to the Premier League, though, with a hugely significant clash with Brighton awaiting. The Seagulls are currently two points above Villa in the Premier League standings, so this is, without doubt, a six-pointer in the race for European football.
Unai Emery will want to name as strong of a lineup as possible to give his side the best chance of victory. Watkins would be in that best XI, you would assume, so is the England international ready?
Will Ollie Watkins start vs Brighton?
Watkins’ benching at Preston can be interpreted in two different ways. He was either not quite ready to start again after his injury or Emery just preferred giving Rashford the opportunity to lead the line.
Birmingham World understands Watkins was passed as fully fit for the trip to Deepdale, however, so that would suggest the latter. It’s unlikely Emery will make the same decision again in the Premier League because Watkins is clearly at the head of the striker pecking order.
Watkins is ready to play at the Amex and he should do so, from the start. The 29-year-old has scored 13 goals and made six assists in 29 Premier League appearances so far this season, continuing his fine form after an extraordinary 19 goals and 13 assists in 37 games last campaign.
Rashford losing his spot doesn’t necessarily mean he will be dropped as he could easily be named in the XI too, possibly off the left. That would mean Jacob Ramsey would be controversially benched, but such a call cannot be ruled out as Emery has often selected Rashford ahead of Ramsey for important fixtures.
Should I keep or sell Watkins in FPL?
Managers with Watkins in their Fantasy Premier League teams may be wondering if they should keep or sell Watkins this week. It’s completely up to personal preference, of course, but his absence from the starting XI against Preston shouldn’t sway any decisions.
Instead, it should be considered whether Watkins is worth his £8.9m price tag. Villa’s fixture run is mixed as Brighton won’t be easy to face and Nottingham Forest are an even tougher prospect, but the trip to Southampton should return several goals.
Other players around Watkins’ price point include Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak (£9.4m), Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.6m) and Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush (£7.4m).