Ollie Watkins hasn’t made the start he would have liked at Aston Villa during the opening few weeks of the Premier League season.
The 28-year-old hasn’t scored in his first three games for Aston Villa, but he didn’t feature in pre-season after playing for England at Euro 2024.
It also needs to be noted that Watkins didn’t play Villa’s final pre-season game against Borussia Dortmund because he had a little injury.
Perhaps that’s a reason why Watkins has been off it for Villa and there have been calls for him to be dropped when Premier League action returns after the international break.
Despite that, new interim England boss Lee Carsley called him up in his first squad after Gareth Southgate’s exit.
But news broke that Watkins, alongside Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Manchester City’s Phil Foden have all withdrawn from the squad, as posted by Sky Sports.
After the international break, Unai Emery’s side will face Everton, before Villa are in Champions League action and the games are going to be stacking up.
That’s why Gabby Agbonlahor was seemingly glad that Watkins has pulled out because he wants him to ‘rest up’, as he wrote on Twitter.
Ollie Watkins pulls out of the England squad
‘Rest up, Ollie,’ wrote Agbonlahor. ‘Champions League most important.’
Jhon Duran on fire for Aston Villa
Jhon Duran has scored two winners for Villa and he has started the new campaign like a house of fire.
If Watkins, for one reason or another, can’t play for Villa, then there is the obvious replacement of Duran coming in and starting.
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Even if Villa’s main man is fit and ready, calls are growing for Emery’s back-up option to now be given the starts he craves.
But given that Watkins has been ever-reliable for the team ever since he joined and the fact that he will now rest, then this shouldn’t be too much of a worry.
