‘He is a fighter’ – Emery praises fantastic Watkins after Aston Villa draw at Burnley | OneFootball

Aston Villa lost two crucial points in the race to secure Champions League qualification after being held 2-2 at Burnley on Sunday.

The Villains missed a chance to take three points against the already-relegated side and will rue the missed opportunity.

However, Villa manager Unai Emery was not disappointed with the performance, knowing his side was exhausted after the midweek Europa League semi-final win.

Emery reserved praise for Villa striker Ollie Watkins. The Spanish tactician said (via the BBC), “He is doing fantastic. He is a fighter.

“Three months ago, he was a little down, but we always have conversations about being consistent and working for the team every match. Now he is getting the numbers.”

Watkins has now bagged in back-to-back games for Villa, adding an assist to the tally. He has tallied seven goals and two assists in his last 10 appearances.

The Villains suffered a particularly difficult start, and Watkins was misfiring. Now that he has found his scoring boots, the Villans look destined to finish the season in terrific fashion.

The Birmingham-based outfit will be desperate to hold onto fifth place on the Premier League table for the remaining two games of the season.

However, Villa face Liverpool (H) and Manchester City (A) in their final two games.

They also play Freiburg in the Europa League final on May 20, and Watkins will be key to winning that battle.

If the England international can maintain his current form, he will prove too hot to handle for the Bundesliga side’s defence.

Watkins can fire the Villains to glory, securing the club’s first trophy in 30 years and first European title since 1982.