WAT A RUN... WAT A BOSS

Goal hero Ollie says Villa's 11-match winning run all down to Unai Emery

- BY JOHN TOWNLEY

OLLIE WATKINS says nobody should be surprised by Aston Villa's remarkable form given the quality of the manager they have in the dugout.

Unai Emery’s side have won 17 of their last 19 matches and taken 36 points from the last 39 available in the Premier League, after securing their eighth consecutive league victory against Chelsea on Saturday night.

Watkins came off the bench to turn the game on its head, scoring twice following his introduction just before the hour.

Villa's run of eight straight topflight wins is their best sequence since 1910, while their 11-match winning streak in all competitions equals a club record previously set in September 1897 and matched in March 1914.

“I didn't have a clue about that,” Watkins said about equalling the 111-year record. “But it doesn't surprise me with this manager. Every record he breaks, or we break, I am not surprised because it is down to him.