Aston Villa to make late decision on Ollie Watkins fitness before Nottingham Forest trip

Unai Emery says a late decision will be made on Ollie Watkins’ availability ahead of Aston Villa’s game against Nottingham Forest.

Watkins was substituted at half-time in Villa’s 3-2 victory away to RB Leipzig and speaking after, Emery confirmed Watkins had been replaced early due to a “small injury” with Jhon Duran taking his place after the break and scoring a long-range effort seven minutes later.

Villa were scheduled to train on Friday afternoon, with a decision on Watkins’ fitness dependent on how he performs in the session.

“We are going to train this afternoon and after we are going to decide how the players are,” said Emery, speaking at his pre-match press conference. “We trained yesterday but it was a recovery day and some players rested.

“Today we are going to train and to know how we are. I don’t know (if he’s going to be available). Yesterday he was recovering and if he trains as normal today and feels good, he is going to be available for tomorrow.”

Watkins has scored seven goals in 15 Premier League appearances this season and registered an assist during the win in Germany on Tuesday. However, he has endured a difficult campaign, partly because of a truncated pre-season and also injury issues that have affected his overall form.

He had just a week of preparation time between returning late — owing to England’s European Championship campaign extending all the way to the final on July 11 — and the opening Premier League fixture against West Ham on August 17.

The 28-year-old has been substituted 10 times already this season and, physically, does not appear as sharp or clinical.

It has been Duran, instead, who has attracted the headlines and is pushing to be Villa’s starting No 9.

“Ollie started the season with different circumstances,” added Emery. “Usually he was doing pre-season in the years before but started going with the national team because he was improving and taking steps forward in his career. And one step forward is to be in the national team.

“He started a little bit under his fitness (this season) and with some small pain and injuries. But he was available to help the team and did fantastic work and progressively was getting better.

“We had Jhon Duran to help and substitute in. We have two important strikers. One with big potential and another with always consistency, even if he’s not feeling 100 per cent.

“He’s being successful in everything we need in our work in each match. I can’t say anything bad about him (Watkins). His commitment is so, so high.”

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(Top photo: Luciano Lima/Getty Images)