Two months ago, Ollie Watkins was being written off. Out of form, struggling for goals, and left out of Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the March international friendlies, his chances of making this summer's World Cup looked slim at best. Fast forward to today, and the Aston Villa striker has not only rediscovered his stride—he's arguably playing better than Harry Kane.

Watkins' latest statement performance came in Villa's emphatic 4-2 thrashing of Liverpool, a win that secured Champions League football for next season. With two goals in that match, he has now scored 12 Premier League goals this season—nine of them coming since being omitted from the England squad. Across all competitions, he's bagged 11 goals since March, outpacing Kane's 10 in the same period.

"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. I think he may have just snuck his way onto that plane."

Watkins himself admits the snub 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. 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 I can be back to my best—scoring and helping the team."

Against Liverpool, Watkins was unplayable at times, constantly exploiting their high line and finding space to run in behind. His movement, pace, and finishing were a nightmare for defenders, and he even expressed disappointment at not adding to his two-goal tally. With the World Cup just one month away, Tuchel will have a very difficult decision to make—because right now, Watkins isn't just in form. He's unstoppable.