Ollie Watkins comparable to Erling Haaland in 2023

• Erling Haaland has been the talk of the Premier League season scoring effortlessly
• The Manchester City man has been scoring almost every weekend in the Premier League this season
• However, since the turn of the year, Ollie Watkins has tried to emulate the Norweigan 

Ollie Watkins had just tucked the ball beneath Nick Pope’s flailing boot for his second goal of the afternoon – and Aston Villa’s third. Watkins’ goals have become so routine that he can hold back the immediate flash of excitement for a beat.

Watkins has a league-high 11 Premier League goals since the turn of the year, all coming in his previous 12 top-flight outings. Only one other player can compete with Villa’s sensational forward.

Watkins also set up Villa’s first goal, sliding between Kieran Trippier and Fabian Schar to nod John McGinn’s cross down for Jacob Ramsey to slam home, ensuring that no one, not even Haaland, has been directly involved in as many goals this calendar year (14).

The Newton Abbot-born forward worked with a specialized finishing coach throughout the summer but only discovered this brilliant purple patch when Unai Emery came over in November.

Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins celebrates after scoring in a past Premier League match. | PHOTO: Premier League |

In an attempt to explain the astonishing improvement – Watkins scored nine Premier League goals in 34 appearances in 2022 – the 25-year-old cited improved movement as well as finishing.

“I think I’m being patient and timing my runs better, being a lot smarter,” he told the BBC after Villa’s victory against Newcastle. “I’m not running into channels, I’m not battling with the centre-backs really too much. My strengths are running behind and the manager’s told all the boys: ‘When you get the ball here, look for Ollie.’ That’s what we’re doing and it’s working nicely.” Very nice indeed.

Operating across the width of the penalty area and getting beyond the opposing defensive line is also a common approach to goal for Haaland.

Emery, who is never one to exaggerate his influence on players, also praised Watkins’ work off the ball. “He is adding a lot of things and I think he has always scored but he is now understanding a little bit more to understand how he can attack the spaces, when he has to drop to get the ball and set the ball,” former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger remarked.

Gareth Southgate, England’s manager, was watching from the stands of a venue he frequented during his playing career. Watkins was an unexpected omission from the previous England team in March, but he is making a strong case to be included in the forthcoming European Championship qualifiers in June, where he hopes to add to his record of two goals in seven appearances.

However, Watkins still has a lot of club games to play before he can don the famed three lions again. And for the rest of the campaign, only one thing will dominate his every mind.