Aston Villa boss Unai Emery makes Ollie Watkins 'angry' admission

The club’s top scorer has found himself on the bench in five of the last six matches, including both legs of the Champions League quarter-final with Paris Saint-Germain, with Emery preferring loan star Marcus Rashford up front.

Watkins expressed his disappointment at not starting after coming off the bench to score in last weekend’s 3-0 win at Southampton but Emery has no problem with the 29-year-old being frustrated.

The boss said: “We can be sad not playing, or we can be angry. I prefer angry.”

Emery continued: “We are increasing our level, we are adding more competition, we are adding more matches, we are hitting another level. Watkins is very, very important for us.

“He is scoring goals, last Saturday in Southampton we were in need and his impact was fantastic. He played scoring, winning a penalty.

“On Tuesday he played maybe in the most difficult moment for how he could get quick the reading of the match and try to show his power.

“But he worked, he is ready. I am so, so happy with him. So, so demanding with him.”

Rashford earned rave reviews for his performance in the second half of Tuesday’s second leg with PSG, with Emery then replacing him with Watkins to try and give his team more energy over the closing stages.

The boss has not ruled out playing both together up front but with just six Premier League matches remaining he acknowledges there is little time to practice that system.

He said: “We need time to try to practice to get them playing and getting confidence together. 

“It is the combination with other players as well, because we have to change more positions on the field if they are playing both. It is the next step. In case I have time, I want to do it.”