Villa striker is targeting a recall from Thomas Tuchel
Ollie Watkins vowed to keep doing his talking “on the pitch” after his 100th Villa goal sparked a Europa League demolition of Bologna.
Watkins opened the scoring as Villa cruised to a 4-0 quarter-final second leg win to complete a 7-1 aggregate triumph, setting up an all-Midlands semi-final clash with Nottingham Forest.
The 30-year-old, who had scored twice in Villa’s 3-1 first leg win a week previously, became just the 12th player to score a century of goals for the club and the first since Peter McParland in the 1960s.
Watkins has endured a difficult season but has now scored four goals in four matches since being omitted from the most recent England squad.
Asked about his desire to reach this summer’s World Cup, he told TNT Sports: “Just keep scoring goals, that’s all I can do.
“Obviously I was disappointed to not be in the previous squad but I can understand his reasons for not picking me.
“I’d be lying if I said criticism didn’t motivate me. It’s the world we live in now, with social media.
“It’s hard not to see things, especially when you’re doing well as a club, you’re going to be spoken about a lot more.
“I try to use it as motivation to perform and score goals - every striker wants to score goals - and if I had come off the pitch today without scoring, I would have been disappointed. So I do use it as motivation.”
Watkins’ goal set up a second leg cruise for Villa, who were 3-0 up at the break thanks to further goals from Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers. The latter also saw a penalty saved.
Ezri Konsa, who had opened the scoring in Italy a week previously, completed the scoring in the tie late on.
"It was a brilliant performance, we needed to get the first goal, they’re a dangerous team away from home", said Villa skipper John McGinn.
"They’ve shown that over the years but to get that first goal in a great first half, gets us into a semi-final. We’re delighted."
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