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

Aston Villa played an enthralling 2-2 draw with Burnley, losing two crucial points in the race to secure UEFA Champions League football next season.

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

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

Emery reserved praise for Aston Villa talisman Ollie Watkins following his performance up top.

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 Aston Villa, adding an assist to the tally. He has seven goals and two assists in his last 10 appearances.

The Villains suffered a particularly difficult start, and one of the major reasons was Watkins 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, it will be quite the challenge for the Villains as they face title-chasing Manchester City and fourth-place Liverpool, equally eager to consolidate their positions.

Aston Villa are also up against Freiburg in the Europa League final on May 20, and Watkins will be key to winning that battle.

If the England international can keep up 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 title in 30 years and first European trophy since 1982.