Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins bagged his 13th league goal of the season in the win over Brentford on Saturday
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Ollie Watkins
Ollie Watkins(Image: PA)
Ollie Watkins is confident Aston Villa can still finish in the top four this season ahead of crunch games with fellow Champions League hopefuls.
Unai Emery’s side are currently two points behind fifth-placed Manchester City, who host Brighton - placed in sixth - on Saturday.
Villa will travel to the Amex after the March international break, while they are also due to face City in Manchester next month.
Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United are yet to head to Villa Park, while European-chasing Fulham play in B6 before Tottenham.
Bournemouth are also in the mix for European football this term, and they will host Villa at the Vitality in May.
Villa will take on relegation-bound Southampton away from home next month, while their league campaign ends at Old Trafford on May 25.
Playing only one league fixture in March, Villa beat Brentford 1-0 at the Gtech Community Stadium thanks to Watkins’ 49th minute winner.
“It was a massive win, a tough place to come,” the striker said. “We don't have another Premier League game now for a while so it was massive and it puts us seven points ahead of Brentford which is big compared to some of the other positions in the league.
“When you are playing teams who aren't playing in midweek, who can train all week and are definitely fresher, it can be demanding.
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“The Champions League games are tough and then to travel, not have too much recovery in between and then play against a team like Brentford is tough.
“It shows in the results. It has been something the last couple of years we have struggled with it.
“I think you saw in the first half we looked a little bit tired maybe and that is where we should be at our freshest.
“But I think in the first half we ground it out and in the second half we got the goal. Three points, a clean sheet, a good day.”
Asked if Villa are still in the race for the top five, Watkins replied: “100 per cent. We still have to play Forest, we still have to play Newcastle. We have Man City as well. If we win those games we are right up there.
“We are now focusing on the Champions League but the boss is always telling us to concentrate on the Premier League as the most important competition. If you are consistent in that you can make it into Europe or the Champions League.
“Especially at home we have let some points slip and then our away form hasn't been great. Had we just won a few more we would be where Nottingham Forest are.
“But we still have nine matches left and I still feel like we can finish in the top four. It is do-able.”
Robin Olsen kept only Villa’s fourth league clean sheet of the season in the win in the capital on Saturday night in what was his first league appearance of the campaign.
“I think when Robin has played the majority of the time he has had to come on at half-time, has been thrown in at the deep end. That is tough,” Watkins said.
“It is nice he could start a game and show what he could do from the start. He has had some unbelievable performances.
“He played like that away to Brighton last year. We lost the game but he was man of the match by far. He did the same today and it was massive.”
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