Emery can begin ‘Project New Watkins’ in Aston Villa FA Cup clash v Tottenham
Unai Emery could look to kick-start a project to find a new Ollie Watkins at Aston Villa in the FA Cup clash against Tottenham on Sunday.
The Lilywhites travel to Villa Park on 9 February as both sides look to bounce back from defeats last time out.
It was a disappointing 2-0 defeat against local rivals Wolves for the Villans as Matheus Cunha netted a late goal to condemn Villa to a second loss in four games.
The misery of another frustrating result at Molineux was compiled when Watkins was forced off at half time with an apparent groin injury.
This will rule the England international out of the clash against Spurs and as a result, a new option could be handed a first senior opportunity.
Mason Cotcher could feature for Aston Villa v Tottenham
With Jhon Duran leaving for Al-Nassr during the winter window, there is a need for a deputy striker option to cover for the 29-year-old.
This could see Mason Cotcher be handed the opportunity to shine for the first team, especially while Villa’s number 11 is out injured.
The 18-year-old looks to be an exciting prospect at Bodymoor Heath, as shown by his FA Youth Cup hattrick against Bristol City on Tuesday (4 February).
This was the crowning moment of the forward’s campaign so far which has also seen him feature in the UEFA Youth League and the Football League Trophy.
In the latter, Cotcher was a second-half substitute against Bradford City and despite only featuring for 11 minutes, he was able to get one shot away while also completing four passes [SofaScore].
His showing against RB Leipzig in Europe was also positive, this time featuring for 20 minutes where he maintained a 100 per cent pass accuracy.
The young striker also managed to utilise his footwork to win a penalty which was then converted by Ben Broggio in the 97th minute.
With all this being said, it could be fair to hand him an opportunity in the first team, especially during an FA Cup tie.
Unai Emery could find new Ollie Watkins at Aston Villa
Despite having Marcus Rashford available now, the Villans could still themselves in need of a recognised striker as the campaign goes on.
Although Cotcher has limited experience of men’s football, it could be wise to hand him a chance in the first team while there is an opportunity.
The only way the Englishman will get better is by playing and training with top players and there are plenty available to talk to at Villa Park right now.
Learning from Watkins could prove to be priceless to his development and something which could benefit Emery and Villa for years to come.