Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins has written his name into the club’s history books, becoming their all-time record Premier League goalscorer with his 75th league goal for the club. His match-winning goal in Villa’s 1-0 victory over Bournemouth on Saturday moved him one ahead of Gabby Agbonlahor, who had previously held the record with 74 goals.
“I said from the start when I joined the club, that’s what I had my eyes on,” said Watkins, reflecting on his journey since joining from Brentford in 2020.
This moment marks a significant turnaround for the 29-year-old, who had openly expressed frustration with his lack of playing time earlier in the season, particularly when he was dropped from the starting lineup in favor of Marcus Rashford and Jhon Duran. However, with Rashford sidelined for the rest of the season due to injury, Watkins has returned to the starting role and shown his value once again.
Unai Emery, Villa’s manager, praised Watkins for his dedication, calling his achievement “very fantastic” and highlighting the striker’s work ethic and commitment. “He deserves it completely because he is a hard worker. His courage has been fantastic, and to achieve it is very fantastic,” Emery said.
Watkins’ goal against Bournemouth was a delicate touch that guided Morgan Rogers’ low cross into the bottom corner, taking his tally for the season to 16 Premier League goals. This makes him the highest-scoring Englishman in the competition for the current campaign, and his consistency in front of goal has been key to Villa’s success. The goal also secured Villa’s place in Europe for the third consecutive season, guaranteeing at least a spot in the Uefa Conference League for next season.
“I’m really proud to be up there on the top of that [goal-scoring] list,” Watkins said, acknowledging the high-caliber players like Dwight Yorke, Dion Dublin, and Juan Pablo Angel who have played for Villa.
Lee Hendrie, former Villa midfielder, also highlighted Watkins’ all-around contributions, noting, “It’s not only his goals, but his team play. He works hard off the ball. He was chasing defenders in the last five minutes. He’s always looking at what he can do to affect the game – that just shows how important he is.”
The victory over Bournemouth has left Villa in a strong position to challenge for a Champions League spot, with the team currently in 6th place, just behind Newcastle and Chelsea in 4th and 5th. According to the Opta supercomputer, Villa’s chances of securing a top-five finish have increased from 15.5% to 34.2% after their victory.
Watkins himself acknowledged the significance of Villa’s push for Champions League qualification: “There are a lot of teams that are pushing for Champions League spots and it is going down to the wire,” he said.
Aston Villa’s final two matches of the season will be crucial. They will face Tottenham Hotspur at home on Friday before traveling to Manchester United for their final game of the season.
