Ollie Watkins has acknowledged that he anticipated missing out on the England squad this month due to his recent poor performance with Aston Villa.
Watkins was surprisingly left out when Thomas Tuchel announced the team for March’s friendly matches against Uruguay and Japan.
The forward has scored only nine goals in this Premier League season but managed to find the net as Aston Villa edged closer to Champions League qualification with a win over West Ham on Sunday.
In response to questions about his exclusion from the England squad, Watkins expressed disappointment but recognized that his recent play did not merit selection.
“Everyone wants to play for their country but I expected that because my form has not been that great,” he told Sky Sports.
“I know what I can do, and when I wear an England shirt, I feel like I have always performed well.”
Watkins contributed to the 2-0 victory over West Ham, which allowed Villa to take advantage of missteps from their rivals for a top-five position, including Manchester United and Liverpool.
He described the win as crucial for Villa, helping to break a streak of poor form and secure three important points.
“It was massive for us, especially being the last game before the international break and with the teams around us dropping points. We knew what we had to do and we took our chance to push for Champions League spots.”
“We are pleased with that, especially after a rough patch. It’s one of our best performances this season.”
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