Ollie Watkins, the England striker who has been dealing with a knee injury, has started just one of Villa’s last five games.
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His spectacular 25-minute performance at St Mary’s could influence manager Unai Emery’s selection for the pivotal Champions League second leg against Paris St Germain on Tuesday.
Watkins has expressed his frustration at his recent spell on the bench despite making a significant impact after coming on as a substitute in their 3-0 victory against Southampton.
Watkins won a penalty and scored the first goal, which helped Villa’s continued push for a Champions League spot, reports Independent.
Watkins’ goal, which he scored seven minutes after taking Marcus Rashford’s place, demonstrated his talent and intuition.
He lifted a long ball from Youri Tielemans over Aaron Ramsdale with skill.
Watkins acknowledged his discontent with his present substitute status despite his significant contribution.
“For me, I’m not happy to sit on the bench,” he said. “It’s disappointing every game that I’m on the bench, but it’s the manager’s decision at the end of the day.”
It was a goal which put the 29-year-old on 73 Premier League goals, only one behind Gabby Agbonlahor’s Villa record.
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