sunlit1688 Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery would like to see competition between Ollie Watkins and Jon Duran for the sole No 9 spot, so his first-choice line-up is yet to be determined when the trip to Club Brugge in Belgium (Nov 6). sunlit1688
Duran just started in the Champions League in yesterday’s 2-0 win over Bologna, scoring his second goal, making his tally of two in the European Championship. ( sunlit1688 )
Watkins, an England international, started the first two games against Young Boys Bern and Bayern Munich, providing one assist.
The headaches Emery is facing are the stuff of dreams for any head coach, but until Matchday 4 of the Ligue 1, the Spanish coach is open to all possibilities.
“Jon played well last night and he scored a brilliant goal,” he told Villa TV.
“It was impressive, the way he accelerated to the ball before the goalkeeper in such a short distance.”
“We’ll have to find opportunities to use the striker pair sometimes, but when they’re separated they’re doing well – letting Watkins stretch his legs is the best thing for the team.”
Watkins, 28, is contracted to Villa Park until June 2028, while Duran only joined in January 2023 and has been signed until June 2030.
