Two months ago, Ollie Watkins was being written off. Out of form, struggling to find the back of the net, and notably absent from Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the March international friendlies, his hopes of representing the Three Lions at this summer's World Cup seemed to be fading fast.
Fast forward to today, and the Aston Villa striker has staged a remarkable comeback. With the World Cup in North America just one month away, Watkins is not just back in form—he's arguably the most in-form English striker in the Premier League, even ahead of Harry Kane.
His latest performance was nothing short of spectacular. Watkins scored twice as Aston Villa thrashed Liverpool 4-2, a victory that secured Villa's place in next year's Champions League. His movement was relentless, repeatedly exploiting Liverpool's high defensive line and finding space to run in behind. At times, he was simply unplayable.
"I wish he was Scottish!" joked Villa captain John McGinn. "He was obviously disappointed in March, but if it gave him a kick up the backside, he's certainly responded in the best way. We're so fortunate to have him. What he's done for this club the past few seasons has been incredible. I think he may have just snuck his way onto that plane."
The numbers back up the hype. Watkins has scored 12 Premier League goals this season—not his highest tally in a Villa shirt—but crucially, nine of those have come since he was left out of the March international camp. Across all competitions, that number jumps to 11, with his form also powering Villa's run to the Europa League final. For context, Harry Kane has scored 10 goals in the same period.
Watkins admits the England omission lit a fire within him. "I had a slow start to the season, picking up a few niggles on international duty and then being left out of the England squad," he said. "I think it gave me that fire in my belly to come back and prove to people what I can do. A lot of people had written me off this season, and I use that as motivation to show them that I can be back to my best—scoring and helping the team."
With his blistering form and undeniable hunger, Watkins has transformed from a player on the outside looking in to one who simply cannot be ignored. For England fans and neutral observers alike, his resurgence is one of the most compelling stories of the season—and a reminder that in football, form is temporary, but class is permanent.