Overview
- Ollie Watkins struck twice in Thursday’s 3-1 Europa League quarter-final first leg at Bologna, moving to 12 goals in 44 club appearances this season.
- His recent surge makes it four goals in five games after a long dip that led Thomas Tuchel to leave him out of March’s expanded England squad.
- Watkins called this the toughest season of his career and told the BBC he is doing all he can to earn a World Cup place this summer.
- He said Michael Owen urged him to "play angry" to trouble defenders, and Unai Emery praised him as a "fighter" after the Bologna win.
- Football Insider reported a former Villa scout linking him with Everton and floating a possible summer sale, a view he said could change if Watkins sustains this form.