Credit: Breaking Media

Daniel Lewis

Sun 17 May 2026 14:10, UK

Ollie Watkins produced another superb performance to help Aston Villa overcome Liverpool on Friday, in doing so making yet more history.

The England international struck twice in the second half as the Villans blew their top-five rivals aside with a 5-2 victory at Villa Park.

Watkins now has 14 Premier League goals for the season, and 11 goals in his past 14 outings in all competitions, as he returns to his best form.

That can only be good news for Unai Emery ahead of Aston Villa’s truly massive Europa League final clash with Freiburg on Wednesday.

And with his double against Liverpool, Watkins is now closing in on another record.

Ollie Watkins sets new Aston Villa record for single-season braces

Watkins has now struck twice in a single Premier League game four times this season, having also done so against Sunderland, Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion.

That moves him back outright in front above Morgan Rogers, also this season, for the most braces by a Villa player in a single Premier League campaign.

Watkins is also joint-second on that list with three in 2023-24, along with the aforementioned Rogers, Juan Pablo Angel (2003-04) and Dion Dublin (1998-99).

As as per Aston Villa Statto via X, Watkins’ overall tally of 10 Premier League braces for the Villans is now level with Dwight Yorke.

Watkins has one more chance to add another double to his tally in the league when Villa conclude their campaign away at Manchester City on the final weekend.

Aston Villa may have Thomas Tuchel to thank for Watkins form

Villa skipper John McGinn spoke for everyone when he said Watkins’ form over a number of seasons now has been “incredible”.

That is not to say the striker has not had periods where he has been out of form, which ultimately led to him being left out of England’s most recent squad.

Thomas Tuchel’s decision to snub Watkins would no doubt have fired up the 30-year-old ahead of next month’s World Cup.

Watkins is surely now in England’s World Cup squad on the basis of his recent form, but he will not find out for definite until next week.

Either way, you can better on the fan favourite continuing to bang them in for Villa for a while longer yet.