Watkins ‘forcing’ his way into Aston Villa XI v Brentford after Smith reveal – Agbonlahor
Gabby Agbonlahor has tipped Ollie Watkins to make his first appearance of the season for Aston Villa against Brentford.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Villa’s record Premier League goalscorer insisted the striker will be desperate to play against his former side.
Watkins has missed Villa’s opening three games with a bruised knee.
As quoted by Birmingham Live on 27 August, Dean Smith revealed he will be back in contention for Saturday’s game if he can get through their final training session unscathed.
The 25-year-old moved to Villa Park from Brentford last summer for a then club-record fee of £28million.
He was a revelation in his first season in claret and blue as he fired in 14 Premier League goals and earned his first England caps.
“I think, knowing Ollie Watkins, he will not want to miss playing against his old club,” Agbonlahor told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“If he feels like he’s fit enough he’ll be telling the manager, forcing the manager to have him involved. If that’s off the bench, which I think it will be.
“I’m sure Watkins will definitely want to be involved in that game.
“It’s up to the manager and he might say ‘You know what we can risk him because we’ve got two weeks after to wrap him up in cotton wool and make sure he’s right for after the international break’.”
Summer signing Danny Ings has played up front on his own in Aston Villa’s opening two Premier League games of the season.
Meanwhile young striker and academy graduate Cameron Archerscored a hat-trick on his full debut in the club’s 6-0 win over Barrow in the Carabao Cup.
In other news, a club has opened preliminary talks to sign an Aston Villa player in dazzling form.