Aston Villa: 100% Ollie Watkins has perfect opportunity to break Villa Park record v Burnley
Ollie Watkins has been on flying form for Aston Villa so far this season, and a Villa Park clash against Burnley on 30 December will give him to perfect opportunity to break a club record held by Dwight Yorke.
If Watkins can score in the game, he will become the joint-highest scorer at Villa Park in a single calendar year, and if he can bag a brace, he will break the landmark.
Dwight Yorke currently holds that record with 12 goals [beIN SPORTS, 29 December], while Watkins sits on 11 with the opportunity to set a new standard in his sights.
A home clash against Burnley should give the perfect opportunity for Watkins to break the record, with their 38 goals conceded from 19 games so far this season the second-highest total in the Premier League – something Villa will be looking to take advantage of.
Burnley have kept just one clean sheet in their last five games, while Villa have scored at least one in their last 11. Watkins, meanwhile, has scored just once in his last five games in the away victory against Brentford and will be looking to rediscover his goalscoring touch.
In fact, the striker’s last goal at Villa Park came in the 3-1 victory against Fulham on 12 November, a game Watkins dominated as he picked up a key pass, won 75 per cent of his aerial duels, took three shots and recorded a 100 per cent long ball accuracy. [Sofascore]
If he can show that level of dominance again when he comes up against Vincent Kompany’s side and their leaky defence, he should be able to seize the opportunity to smash Yorke’s long-standing record.
His nine goals and six assists so far this season have been crucial to Villa’s rise up the Premier League table, and he will be looking to end the year on a high with a goalscoring display at home.
In other Aston Villa news, one player may have forced Unai Emery into a transfer U-turn.