Ollie Watkins feels he cannot stop scoring at Aston Villa

Watkins became the first Villa player since Christian Benteke to net in four consecutive Premier League matches when he fired home in the fifth minute against the Gunners.

It continued a considerable turnaround for the 27-year-old, who found the net just three times in his first 18 league appearances of the campaign.

He is now on course to register double figures for a third straight Premier League season since joining Villa from Brentford in a £33million deal and admits his confidence could not be higher.

Watkins said: “I feel good, going into each game I feel confident. I feel like I am going to score goals now, which is a nice feeling for any striker.

“Any team I come up against I feel like I am going to have the beating of the centre-halves, so long as my team-mates play me the ball.

“I feel good but it is a shame we are not winning matches to top that off.”

Watkins’ goal was not enough to prevent Villa eventually sliding to a 4-2 defeat and his last three goals have come in losing efforts, as the early momentum of Unai Emery’s reign has slowed.

Villa, who sit 11th in the table, will aim to get back on track when they visit Everton on Saturday for the first of four matches against teams below them in the standings.

Emery was critical of his players for not sticking to the gameplan against the Gunners and Watkins admitted they need to show more patience in possession.

He said: “We have shown we play some good football. Maybe on Saturday we did not play great.

“There have been times we have played some really good football when we have been patient on the ball.

“It is not that we didn’t have the courage but no matter which team you play against you need to stick to the gameplan and try to out play them. That is what the boss has tried to implement.

“We know we can do it. It is now about turning the losses into draws and winning games.”