'Relentless' Watkins has 'got to be on the plane'

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Ollie Watkins has scored 12 Premier League goals this season - not his greatest yield in a Aston Villa shirt - but nine of those have come since he was left out of the March international camp.

Across all competitions, that number goes up to 11 - Harry Kane has scored 10 in the same period - with his form extending to Villa's run to the Europa League final.

His omission from that England squad has lit a fire in Watkins that perhaps would not have been there had he been included.

"I had a slow start to the season, picking up a few niggles on international duty and then being left out of the England squad," he said.

"I think it gave me that fire in my belly to come back and prove to people what I can do. A lot of people had written me off this season and I use that as motivation to show them that I can be back to my best - scoring and helping the team."

Against Liverpool, he was unplayable at times as he continuously took advantage of their high line and found the space to run in behind.

The icing on the cake for Watkins would be a performance like this one against against Freiburg in Istanbul on Wednesday, where Villa will look to win their first major trophy in 30 years.