Unai Emery has moved to contextualise Ollie Watkins’ (29) prolonged dip in form, revealing that the Aston Villa striker has been managing persistent knee pain since the beginning of the 2024–25 campaign. The England international, who has scored just once in 13 Premier League appearances this season, has looked a shadow of the forward who has led Villa’s line with such reliability in recent years, and Emery now suggests the explanation is physical rather than psychological.
Speaking to media ahead of Villa’s next league fixture, Emery disclosed that Watkins has been carrying “a small pain in his knee” dating back to last August, an issue the club has attempted to manage rather than correct surgically.
“He’s not feeling 100 per cent,” Emery said, emphasising the staff’s efforts to balance Watkins’ recovery with the team’s needs. “We are trying to get him completely without pain, and through this, to feel better again and have the confidence to score goals.”
The striker has been training intermittently as Villa look to protect him from further strain. Watkins sat out Tuesday’s session, working only with club physios, but is expected to be available for selection. Emery insisted that rest, not an operation, is the only viable route back to full fitness.
Watkins’ form has been a focal point of Villa’s season, especially as the club continues its push near the top four. With his workload being carefully calibrated, Emery remains hopeful that a fully fit and fully firing Watkins is still to come.
