BBC pundit now issues Unai Emery claim on Ollie Watkins at Aston Villa

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Jermaine Beckford believes Aston Villa are reaping the rewards of Unai Emery backing Ollie Watkins after his goal at Everton. The forward’s penalty broke the deadlock this Saturday.

Aston Villa travelled to Merseyside following their worst run of form under Emery yet. The Villans had lost each of their past three Premier League games under the Spaniard. He had only lost one of his previous seven in charge since replacing Steven Gerrard last November.

Emery has now started Watkins in 10 of his 11 top-flight matches as manager of Aston Villa after facing Everton. While the 27-year-old is also now a Villans record-holder as the club’s first player to score in five straight Premier League fixtures. He has six goals under Emery.

Watkins missed Emery’s second top-flight match in charge of the Birmingham natives back in November at Brighton & Hove Albion. The seven-cap England international missed their 2-1 win through illness. But he is now proving his importance following a flurry of finishes.

The £28m, rising up to £33m after add-ons, former Brentford forward had only scored one and assisted two goals over 11 Premier League appearances under Gerrard this season. He had further only influenced goals during the Villans’ second and third matches of the term.

Aston Villa are ‘reaping the rewards’ of Unai Emery backing Ollie Watkins

But Beckford believes Aston Villa are now taking full advantage of Emery keeping his faith in Watkins after his goal against Everton. The £75k-a-week striker stepped up and coolly fired past Jordan Pickford from the spot. He sent the England goalkeeper the wrong way to net.

“Great penalty,” Beckford told the BBC’s Final Score. “Watkins is playing with great confidence; the manager has backed him and Villa are reaping the rewards.”

Pickford dived to his left anticipating Watkins would aim for the corner. But the Aston Villa star sent his penalty straight down the middle to lead Everton. The Torquay-born attacker also helped effect play in the build-up for Emiliano Buendia giving Emery’s side a 2-0 lead.