John McGinn told Ollie Watkins as Aston Villa striker makes Erling Haaland admission
Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive as Ollie Watkins hopes for England recall after scoring hat-trick in Brighton thrashing
Ollie Watkins claims he has done everything to earn a recall to the England squad after scoring a hat-trick in front of Gareth Southgate in Aston Villa’s 6-1 win over Brighton at Villa Park on Saturday afternoon.
The striker bagged two of the three goals which Villa scored in 12 first half minutes to take the game away from Brighton before the break. He then restored Villa’s three-goal cushion after the hour mark after Ansu Fati had reduced Brighton’s deficit early in the second period.
Watkins joins Christian Benteke as the only two Villa players to have netted two hat-tricks in the Premier League, while after scoring three against Hibernian in August, he became the first player to score two hat-tricks in a single season in all competitions for the club since Andy Gray in 1976-77. Watkins wasn’t aware England boss Southgate was in attendance at Villa Park before completing his hat-trick.
“John McGinn actually told me on the pitch when I scored my third that he was up in the stands,” Watkins said. “But it doesn’t matter who is here. I always want to perform well, score goals and help the team win.
“I feel like since the manager has come in, I’ve come into my own. When I get on a goalscoring run, I feel like there is no stopping me really. I am just getting warmed up now. There are plenty more goals to come this season.
“I think I have learned a lot in a short space of time. My movement, my mentality, being patient. As a striker, the best example is Haaland. He doesn’t touch the ball for 20 minutes and then scores. It is learning little things like that.
“There is a coach I have worked with closely, Rodri. I work with him every day, extras out on the training field. Sometimes we don’t even do finishing practice. We may just watch videos and analysis. He is the key for me. He has helped me so much. Credit to him because he helps me so much.
“I will watch this game back and see what I could have done better, what I did well and just keep going again. I will work on my relationships with centre-backs and midfielders, what to do when they get the ball. I do that whether I have played well or badly. I do it every time.”
Watkins was last called up to the England squad in March 2022 and has scored an impressive 27 goals in all competitions since then. Southgate will name his Three Lions squad for the October internationals on Thursday ahead of a double header at Wembley, as they face Australia before welcoming Italy in their next European Qualifier on the road to UEFA EURO 2024.
“I’m always disappointed when I am not in the squad because I want to be in there,” Watkins admitted. “But I can’t let it affect my game or play on my mind because once the decision is made you can’t really change it.
“Look, I think I’ve done enough. I’ve just scored three goals against a top five team. I can’t do any more, so it is up to him.”
He added: “No disrespect but when I scored the hat-trick against Hibs, people were saying, ‘ah yeah but they were bottom of the Scottish League’. To do it against a team like Brighton shuts a few people up, to be honest.”