Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa on the bench during the Emirates FA Cup Quarter-finals match Preston North End vs Aston Villa at Deepdale
Credit: Imago
Max Wilkins
Thu 16 April 2026 17:10, UK
Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins has certainly divided opinion this season.
The striker hasn’t been at his best throughout the campaign and has been a far cry from his former self in claret and blue.
He has regularly gone through purple patches in B6 over the years, but one hasn’t come around for the 30-year-old yet.
That has clearly left Thomas Tuchel concerned and prompted him to leave the forward out of his most recent England squad.
Watkins has looked better for Villa more recently, and he will be dreaming of the World Cup even after being replaced at St George’s Park in March.
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Dominic Solanke slammed as Ollie Watkins England replacement
It came as a surprise in the most recent Three Lions outing that Tottenham number nine Dominic Solanke was called up to the squad.
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He has struggled with injury this season and has hardly set the world alight when featuring for a dismal Spurs side.
Stat (Premier League 25-26) Dominic Solanke
Appearances 13
Minutes played 870
Goals 3
Assists 0
Dominic Solanke stats 2025-26
That translated onto the international stage as the 28-year-old struggled to make an impact at Wembley against Uruguay or Japan.
Former Villa scout Bryan King has been left baffled by his inclusion and questioned why Tuchel selected him ahead of Watkins.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, King said: “Looking at Solanke against Sunderland, if England think he’s better than Watkins, there’s something wrong with football.
“I haven’t seen him play well for months, and he got picked for England.
Aston Villa Dominic Solanke Tottenham stat
“He needs to score goals. If he can finish the season with 10 goals, he should be in the reckoning, but that isn’t going to happen.
“He’s got to turn in better performances, otherwise he shouldn’t go to the World Cup.
“I think Watkins is a better player than him and has been much better this season.”
Watkins still has room to improve for Villa, but there is logic to the argument that he should be featuring ahead of Solanke on the international stage.
Watkins has a point to prove for Aston Villa and England
The former Brentford man’s stock has never been quite so low since his move to Villa Park back in the summer of 2020.
He may have 14 goal involvements to his name this season, but he needs to step that up and put in some better performances than he has been.
Watkins was excellent away to Bologna in the Europa League, but that sort of showing has been few and far between this season.
Ollie Watkins Aston Villa stats vs Bologna
There are now only a few games left before the end of the season, and there is still plenty to play for from a personal perspective.
A spot on the plane with England to the World Cup lies in wait, and he has to show what he’s about and why he deserves to feature ahead of Solanke.
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