Ollie Watkins: Aston Villa striker should win player of the season, says team-mate Emi Martinez
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Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez believes team-mate Ollie Watkins should win Premier League player of the season.
The striker's 19th league goal of the campaign clinched a 2-0 win at title-chasing Arsenal to boost Villa's hopes of Champions League qualification.
Watkins is just one goal behind Manchester City's Erling Haaland in the race for the golden boot.
"He should be a really, really good contender," Martinez told Sky Sports.
Watkins has led the charge for Unai Emery's side, who are now fourth with five matches left - three points clear of Tottenham, who have a game in hand.
His tally this campaign matches the best-ever for a Villa player in the Premier League era, while the England international, 28, is also joint-top for top-flight assists with 10.
"I think Ollie should win player of the season," added Martinez.
"When you play for a 'big six' side, you get more credit but Ollie has scored 19 goals with the chances he's got."
Although Watkins played down Martinez's suggestion, there is one individual award that he is giving his all to win.
"As a striker, you want to score as many goals as possible," he told BBC Match of the Day.
"I'm not going to lie, I'm chasing that, I'm doing all that I can to help the team to win and for me to score as many goals and assists to my team-mates as possible. I definitely have my eyes on the golden boot."
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He took a team that was struggling badly under Gerrard, turned that season around and with very few additions has got them going for Champions League qualification, a great turnaround.
I'm no Villa fan but it's an amazing turn around from the football Gerrard had them playing!
His finishing has really improved these last two seasons under Emery too.
Soutthgate would be a fool to not take him to the Euros.
I can't say if he will win, but he absolutely deserves to be in the conversation. If he played for a 'Big 6' club the media would be waxing lyrical about him all the time.
He doesn't get enough credit for everything he does for the team, and granted he misses a few, but he also poaches a lot. Fair play to the lad.
Martinez correctly predicted that his mate Messi would win then Ballon D'Or.
Watkins' goal conversion is higher than Haaland's (25% versus 24%). However, Isaac's is higher still at 35%, and Chris Woods' is higher again at 44%.