Aston Villa fans are convinced Ollie Watkins wouldn’t have been able to score the goal his replacement Jhon Duran scored against Southampton.
The England international has been first-choice in the lone centre-forward role Unai Emery’s side in the Premier League so far this season, despite not being as prolific as in previous campaigns, and the good form of Duran off the bench.
That has already led to some questions about the latter’s future at Villa Park moving forward.
However, it was the Colombian who was handed a start ahead of Watkins against the Saints at Villa Park on Saturday (7 December)
The striker would take advantage of that opportunity in the best possible style with a key goal, leaving some Aston Villa supporters seemingly keen to see that change become a more permanent one.
Unai Emery backed to keep Aston Villa youngster in first XI
After a goalless opening quarter of the game, it was the hosts who took the lead thanks to Duran
The 20-year-old striker showed good strength and awareness to “bully” Taylor Harwood-Bellis and rob him of the ball inside the Saints half.
He then drove into the opposition penalty area before firing an excellent finish past Joe Lumley to put Aston Villa 1-0 up.
Taking to social media to react to that, many of the club’s supporters questioned if Watkins would have taken that chance.
Others seemed to imply that they would like to see Duran keep the centre-forward spot in the starting lineup long-term after his goal against Southampton.
Watkins came on for Duran just before the hour against the struggling Saints but couldn’t deliver his own statement of intent in the fight for the starting position, with Tim Sherwood calling his display “really sloppy” live on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday (7 December, 4.51pm) and the game finished 1-0.
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