Watkins reveals he was ‘furious’ about being left out of PSG match after stellar performance against Newcastle

Ollie Watkins has disclosed that his standout performance in Aston Villa’s 4-1 triumph over Newcastle on Saturday was driven by his determination to counter manager Unai Emery’s decision to overlook him for the Champions League matches.

Watkins found himself on the bench for both legs of Villa’s dramatic quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain, having lost his starting spot to Marcus Rashford.

Unfortunately for Villa, they exited the tournament on Tuesday, narrowly missing out on a remarkable fightback in the second leg.

The England forward expressed his frustration at being relegated to a minor role during the most significant match of Villa’s season, appearing only as a substitute in the second half against PSG.

Upon returning to the starting lineup for the convincing victory over Newcastle at Villa Park, Watkins seized the opportunity to make his point, contributing with both a goal and an assist.

“We’ve worked incredibly hard to get to the Champions League stage. I only played 20 minutes across the two games against PSG. To say I was fuming about not starting would be an understatement, and I made that clear to him,” Watkins explained.

“Ultimately, he is the manager, and I have to respect his choices. I’m not one to be satisfied sitting on the bench.

“It was a new experience for me to miss out on such a significant occasion. A few of us were disheartened not to be starters, but those are decisions made by the manager.

“The team performed well, but I wanted to contribute for a longer period. I’ve played a crucial role in getting us to this point, and I want to be involved in these important matches.”

‘I felt frustrated’

Watkins wasted no time in making his mark against Newcastle, scoring within just 33 seconds, displaying the clinical finishing that could have benefitted Villa in the PSG encounter.

He also set up Ian Maatsen, who restored Villa’s lead following Fabian Schar’s equaliser for Newcastle.

The scoring was completed with an own goal from Dan Burn and a stunning strike from Amadou Onana, securing Villa’s fifth consecutive league victory and propelling them into sixth place.

Emery’s squad is now back in contention for a top-five finish and Champions League qualification, thanks in large part to a motivated Watkins.

“I was frustrated about not playing, and I channeled that into motivation instead of allowing it to affect me negatively,” he said.

“We’re performing exceptionally well now. We need to win every match ahead of us to secure that Champions League spot.”

Emery expressed his appreciation for Watkins’ attitude, praising his commitment to the team’s cause.

“He was fantastic. He contributed last week as well. On Tuesday, he came on for 20 minutes. His dedication to improving and reaching his best is exactly what we need,” he noted.

“This morning, I had discussions with some of the players about how they’re feeling. It’s a pivotal moment for us to hit peak form.”

Despite having clinched five straight league wins to climb into third place, Newcastle now finds themselves only two points ahead of Villa as the race for Champions League qualification heats up.

Jason Tindall, stepping in for the unwell Newcastle manager Eddie Howe for the third consecutive game, remarked: “In retrospect, Aston Villa deserved their win over the 90 minutes.”

“From our perspective, perhaps playing a third game in six days caught up with us around the hour mark.

“It might have been a step too far today, but I wouldn’t consider it a reality check. Our effort remains commendable. We must remember where we stand.”