Ollie Watkins has been told to "push for a move" out of Aston Villa after Marcus Rashford was picked ahead of him against Paris Saint-Germain.
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Aston Villa host PSG in UCLRashford starts ahead of WatkinsFans question Emery's decisionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Despite being Villa's top scorer this season, manager Unai Emery has dropped Watkins to the bench, and Rashford will lead the line for their Champions League quarter-final second leg against PSG on Tuesday night. This hasn't gone down too well with a selection of football fans, with some calling Emery "crazy" and others saying the 29-year-old should move elsewhere.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING
@DrFa1ade posed a question on X, saying: "Watkins should have pushed for a move, because how is he not starting?"
@GodBleedsBlue tweeted: "How has Rashford pushed Watkins out? I cannot for the life of me see it."
@ballknowsme commented: "Embarrassing that club legend Ollie Watkins isn’t starting the UCL games he literally got them into himself for some lazy bum on loan."
@sheila_gooner put: "Ollie Watkins' dream is to play for Arsenal. Emery seems to prefer Rashford to him nowadays. What do you think about us making a bid for Ollie?"
And @TrxpleM added: "Has Rashford actually been better than Watkins this season or is Unai just being crazy?"
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Watkins was linked with Arsenal, a team he grew up supporting, in January but Villa rebuffed their interest. If Manchester United loanee Rashford signs permanently for the Villans, Watkins may consider his Villa Park future more intensely in the summer. Either way, Emery will have picked a team he believes stands the best chance of overturning a 3-1 first-leg deficit to the French champions.
(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
After this crunch match, Emery's Villa return to Premier League action on Saturday at home to fellow top five hopefuls Newcastle United.