Ollie Watkins outlines season goal target after continuing Aston Villa resurgence

Watkins, the club’s all-time Premier League top scorer, found the net only once during the first three months of the campaign.

But he now has six goals in his last eight appearances and is confident of a strong second half to the season as Villa aim to stay in the title race, while also fighting for glory in the Europa League.

Watkins said: “I always get into double figures for the season but yeah, 20 goals is always the target and I believe I can do that. 

“Once the goals start flowing I pick up momentum and it is good for the team, as well as for me personally. I just want to keep pushing on.”

Villa are just six points behind leaders Arsenal and Watkins continued: “Obviously, I had a slow start. If I’d had the kind of start I had two seasons ago, who knows what position we would be in now? 

“But that has been and gone. I can only look at what is in front of me and there is a lot of football to be played, a lot of opportunities to score goals. 

“I am confident in my ability and the team. With the players around me, I am always going to get chances so I can score that amount of goals.”

Watkins, making his 250th Villa appearance, blasted them ahead against just Forest from 20 yards out with just seconds remaining before half-time.

The 30-year-old said: “My first touch was good and the second, so it set me up and why not?

“I wasn’t thinking about the ref blowing the whistle but it was close to half-time, we had won the ball quickly, Morgan (Rogers) found me so I just thought ‘hit it’. 

“I don’t shoot much from outside the box. Maybe I need to start doing it a bit more.”