Pat Nevin has told Chelsea’s club website that Thomas Tuchel must be aware of the threat Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins can pose when Aston Villa visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
The Villans return to Premier League action after the international break looking to end the Blues’ unbeaten start. Tuchel’s west Londoners have started the season with two wins and a draw, to trail only Tottenham Hotspur on points.
Villa, meanwhile, have taken a win, draw and defeat in their opening fixtures, seeking to build on last term’s 11th-place. Dean Smith has called on Ings to start all three games since his £25m move from Southampton this summer. While Watkins made his campaign debut from the bench against Brentford last time out after sustaining a knee injury in pre-season.
Ings has shown Smith he can stand in for Watkins in Aston Villa’s attack and cause Chelsea issues on Saturday. The 29-year-old has two goals and an assist already this season, as the only Villans player to net multiple league goals and one of three to create a taken chance.
Nevin is fully aware of the threat Ings and Watkins can pose for Chelsea if either feature for Aston Villa. While also praising Smith for producing a fearless line-up, dripping with danger.
“Aston Villa have two strikers in Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins who are well capable of scoring hatfuls of goals in the Premier League,” Nevin said. “They must be watched.
“This is a match laced with danger from a fearless side with a manager who will turn up with little to lose, and a growing belief in his newly-refurbished team, even if they don’t have Jack Grealish to call on.”
Can Ings and Watkins help Aston Villa end Chelsea’s unbeaten start?
Tuchel will be well aware of the threat Aston Villa strikers Ings and Watkins can pose against Chelsea come Saturday. Ings scored on his last visit to Stamford Bridge as he helped Southampton claim a 3-3 draw. Meanwhile, Watkins played his role as the Villans beat the German’s side 2-1 in May. Although he did not get on the scoresheet to add to his 14 goals.
Ings has shown no issues adapting to Smith’s system, which Nevin praises, since moving to Birmingham, either. And will now look to start building a dynamic partnership with Watkins having only played 11 minutes together so far.
But Chelsea will be no easy test for the Villa Park natives, as well. They have only conceded once in three games this term, with Liverpool breaking their run from the penalty spot. The last open-play top-flight goal they conceded coincidently came in May’s 2-1 loss at Villa.
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