Ollie Watkins hungry to continue superb Aston Villa scoring streak and strengthen England recall case

Watkins fired home from the penalty spot in Saturday’s 2-0 win at Everton to become the first Villa player since Paul Rideout in 1985 to score in five consecutive league matches.

The 27-year-old, who netted just twice in his first 14 appearances this season, now has seven goals in 12 outings since Unai Emery’s arrival and could hardly be in better shape little more than a fortnight before Gareth Southgate names his squad for Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine.

While Watkins, capped seven times by the Three Lions, is philosophical about his chance of a call-up, believes he can score many more for Villa between now and the end of the season.

“What’s my target now? A goal a game!” he smiled. “You never know what can happen. If someone had told me when I was on three Premier League goals I would score five in the next five, I wouldn’t have thought that was true.

“But anything can happen. I am going to score more goals by the end of the season, I’m a big believer of that.

“If I get one chance, I can always score and you never know what I can end the season on. I always want to keep pushing and if it six, or seven games in a row, I don’t mind. I just want to keep scoring.”

Watkins, whose last call-up came nearly a year ago, added: “I will just look forward to the next games and see if I get a text or a call.

“If not I will go and enjoy time with my family, if I do (get a call) I will be delighted to represent my country but either way, it will be a good situation.”

Watkins will become the first Villa player since Andy Gray, in 1977, to score in six successive league matches if he finds the net in next weekend’s home match against Crystal Palace.

Either way, he is now in comfortably his best form since scoring six in his first seven league outings for Villa in 2020, after joining from Brentford in a then club record £33million deal.

He said: “Looking back now, I probably didn’t realise how hard that was (to achieve). A hat-trick against Liverpool, a brace against Arsenal.

“I’ve always tried to keep focused but I would say I’m a lot more focused now and a lot more confident in my ability at the age I am, with the confidence the coach gives me.

“It is just mentality with me. I have always backed my ability and sometimes it has got me frustrated because I know I can hit these levels.

“I have maybe been a bit too keen to show people that. Now I am just calm, enjoying the moment and letting my ability doing the talking.”