Ollie Watkins injury concern addressed by Aston Villa boss Unai Emery

12/13/2024 09:24 AM

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery says he will make a late call on whether Ollie Watkins will play against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

The England international started the 3-2 win at RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday but was forced off at half-time.

Emery confirmed after the match that the forward had suffered a ‘small injury’ which put his involvement this weekend in doubt.

Watkins remains a doubt just a day before the match, with Emery saying the final training session on Friday will provide him the answer.

‘We are going to train this afternoon and after we are going to decide how the players are,’ Emery told a press conference on Friday afternoon. ‘We trained yesterday but it was a recovery day and some players rested.

‘Today we are going to train and to know how we are. I don't know (if he's going to be available). Yesterday he was recovering and if he trains as normal today and feels good, he is going to be available for tomorrow.’

The 28-year-old has scored seven goals in 15 Premier League appearances, although he has failed to score in six Champions League outings.

Emery says his star forward’s season has been somewhat disrupted by his involved at Euro 2024 with England over the summer which meant he wasn’t in the best shape to start the campaign.

‘Ollie started the season with different circumstances,’ he said. ‘Usually he was doing pre-season in the years before but started going with the national team because he was improving and taking steps forward in his career. And one step forward is to be in the national team.

‘He started a little bit under his fitness and with some small pain and injuries. But he was available to help the team and did fantastic work and progressively was getting better.

‘We had Jhon Duran to help and substitute in. We have two important strikers. One with big potential and another with always consistency, even if he's not feeling 100 per cent.

‘He's being successful in everything we need in our work in each match. I can't say anything bad about him (Watkins). His commitment is so, so high.’

Duran replaced Watkins in Leipzig and scored his 10th goal of the season in all competitions.

If Watkins does not make it for Saturday, the 21-year-old Colombia international will expect to start, just as he did last time out in the Premier League against Southampton as Watkins started on the bench.