Ollie Watkins could quit Aston Villa due to teammate – Agbonlahor
Ollie Watkins was left out of Unai Emery’s starting 11 for the third time in five games as Aston Villa were beaten 2-1 by Manchester City on Tuesday.
Watkins revealed his frustration after being left out of the Villa starting 11 for both legs of their Champions League quarter-final with PSG.
However, the England international came back into the lineup to replace Marcus Rashford as Villa hosted Newcastle on 19 April, and repaid the faith instilled in him by Emery as he notched a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory.
But Watkins was not rewarded for his efforts when he was left out of the starting 11 when Emery’s men lost at the Etihad Stadium, while Rashford scored from the penalty spot.
Gabby Agbonlahor says Rashford could prompt Watkins exit
Since joining Villa on loan, Rashford has established a rich vein of form that he could not manage for Manchester United earlier this season, notching four goals and five assists in 17 outings for the West Midlands club.
| Marcus Rashford Aston Villa stats | All competitions 2024/25 |
| Appearances | 17 |
| Goals | 4 |
| Assists | 5 |
But speaking live on talkSPORT [24 April, 8:09 am], Gabby Agbonlahor feared the impact Rashford’s presence could have on Watkins’ future: “We have to sometimes remember as Villa fans, and fans of Watkins, that he’s at Villa, Rashford’s on loan. What if Rashford goes back in the summer and says he wants to go somewhere else? Then, you upset Watkins, he might want to go, then you’re left with zero strikers. We’re forgetting that Rashford’s on loan, so he’s putting a shift in and showing. What if you offer him a four-year deal, £300,000 a week, and he goes back to what he was doing at Manchester United, feet under the table, relaxing, not pressing, not working hard. So Villa have got to be very careful.”
Emery has a huge Watkins call to make on Saturday
Now that Villa have been knocked out of the Champions League, the biggest game of their season arrives on Saturday when they face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final.
Emery’s men have established themselves as a strong side throughout last season and the current campaign, but the West Midlands outfit will now be keen to rubberstamp that with silverware.
Villa should fancy their chances of winning the FA Cup if they can beat Palace in the semi-finals, as their strong Champions League run proved how good they are at knockout football.
But Emery now faces a major call as to whether he starts Watkins or Rashford up front against Oliver Glasner’s side at Wembley.
Watkins has consistently proven his ability to deliver since his Villa arrival in 2020, whereas Rashford has been in strong form since joining on loan in the winter transfer window.
As alluded to by Agbonlahor, Emery must consider that Watkins is still a permanent player at Villa Park, and should look to keep the former Brentford man happy.