Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran
Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran (Image: Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery will continue to find a way to play Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran together.
Since Duran joined Villa in January 2023, he has only started alongside Watkins twice, in a 1-1 draw against West Ham last season - where the Colombian was hooked at half-time - and then on the final day against Crystal Palace.
Duran started as the lone striker against Southampton last Saturday and scored the only goal of the game, before he made way for Watkins to finish the final 30 minutes of the match. Usually, Duran replaces Watkins, and at the start of the campaign, he won six points for the club after scoring winning goals in three of the first four league matches.
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Watkins, meanwhile, is averaging a goal every other start after scoring seven times in 14 games before Villa hosted Saints. Ahead of Villa's sixth Champions League clash on Tuesday night against RB Leipzig, Emery was asked about the pair.
"They are both very good strikers with different experiences," he explained. "Watkins getting more experience in the national team and in Europe and being consistent and competitive always with everything we need on the field.
"Duran has big potential and progressively he’s getting better. Now he’s much better than two years ago. On Saturday he scored a very important goal for us.
"Those goals for a striker are very important for the team and for them, but they are committed to understanding each moment. The next challenge I have is to play with both. I will try again to play with both.
"We have to keep the balance, that’s the next challenge. The first is the team and tomorrow for them it’s an important match playing in Europe and the Champions League. This is the motivation we have."
Speaking about the challenge Villa face on Tuesday, Emery said: " We are very motivated and we enjoy it and tomorrow it’s game six and it's very important because we can feel close to getting in the next round, but we have the opportunity to get in the top. It’s very difficult against RB Leipzig.
"At the beginning of the competition they were contenders more than us to be in the top eight, but they had a really hard schedule playing against a lot of very good teams. They don’t have one point but tomorrow there is a chance for them to try and be in the next round.
"I like matches like that because it’s key for them to get to the next round, playing with their supporters. It will be fantastic for them, how we can respond to this and how we can get our performances. It’s a really good match, I think we have to enjoy and try and get more experiences together and try and respond in this game."
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UEFA Champions League
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