Watkins Hits PL Elite Status in Villa Rout – But Tuchel's England Door Stays Shut

Imagine nursing a pint while Aston Villa dismantle West Ham, and your mate bangs on about how Ollie Watkins is the unsung hero England needs. That's the vibe from Villa Park this weekend, where the Torquay lad fired his side to a comfy 2-0 win over the Hammers, who are staring down the barrel of relegation.

John McGinn cracked open the scoring in the first half, but it was Watkins who sealed the deal in the 68th minute, doubling the lead with a clinical finish. That goal nudged him to nine Premier League strikes this term, and more importantly, into some seriously posh company.

Elite Company: Salah, Bruno, and the Goal Machines

As reported by Andrew Thompson at OneFootball, Watkins has now become just the fifth player over the last six seasons to rack up 10 or more direct goal contributions in the Prem. We're talking Mohamed Salah, Bruno Fernandes, Leandro Trossard, and his Villa mate Jarrod Bowen – proper heavy hitters.

It's the kind of stat that has Villa fans chanting his name louder than ever. While Thomas Tuchel preps England for the 2026 World Cup this summer, Watkins is out here proving he's no benchwarmer. Will the German gaffer have a cheeky rethink before the Three Lions hop the Atlantic? You tell me, over another round.

The Snub Stings, But Villa's Loving It

Tuchel's England squad looks set to sideline Watkins again, despite his form screaming 'pick me'. It's like being the best player in your Sunday league but getting overlooked for the pub team. Villa supporters couldn't care less – they're top of the Midlands pile, and Watkins is their talisman.

That West Ham loss piles more misery on the Irons, who slipped to 18th. Meanwhile, up north, Nottingham Forest pulled off a stunner with a 3-0 hammering of Tottenham, leapfrogging Spurs and breathing easier in the scrap.

Weekend Roundup: Forest Shock, Payet Bows Out

It wasn't just Villa's day. Arsenal and Man City played out a tense draw in the EFL Cup final – proper edge-of-your-seat stuff, with Semenyo flashing shots wide for City. Forest's win over Spurs was the talk of the town, hitting a new low for Postecoglou's lot.

And in France, a legend called time: Dimitri Payet announced his retirement at halftime of OM vs Lille – two of his old clubs. The artist's final brushstroke on a colourful career. What a Sunday it was.

Fixtures are stacking up, with Villa eyeing more points and Watkins gunning for double digits. If Tuchel's watching, he might just fancy a pint with the Villa faithful. England's loss could be the World Cup's gain – or not. Cheers to that.