Manager happy for Watkins to be Villa's Mr Angry

VILLA manager Unai Emery prefers Ollie Watkins to be "angry" about his lack of starts, rather than sad.

- By JOHN TOWNLEY

Watkins has started just one of the last six matches in all competitions with Marcus Rashford being preferred in five of those.

Rashford scored a brace in the FA Cup quarter-final win at Preston and the opening goal against Brighton. He also started both legs of the Champions League quarter-final with Paris Saint-Germain and played a key role in Villa's 3-2 second-leg win at Villa Park on Tuesday evening.

Given his electric second-half performance, some were surprised to see Emery substitute the Manchester United loanee in the 76th minute.

"On Saturday he played 60 minutes (at Southampton), then we played Watkins and we needed fresh legs as well," explained Emery. "He was playing a fantastic match on Tuesday. A really fantastic match. I am so, so happy with him.

"Now when you were making some questions about those players, if they can play together. I answered maybe and I think they can play. But we need time to try to practice to get them playing and getting confidence together.