Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins is “100 per cent” fit to face Wolverhampton Wanderers, his head coach Unai Emery has said.
The 28-year-old was substituted off in the 60th minute of Tuesday’s three-goal Champions League victory at Young Boys and was seen holding ice to his leg muscles on the substitute’s bench.
However, Emery has played down suggestions that the England international might not be available to play against Wolves as Villa return to Premier League action.
“He’s available 100 per cent to play,” Emery said on Friday. “He had some problems (niggles), like other players, but that is not relevant.
“He is, of course, sometimes stopping because you have to protect the players. But now he is completely 100 per cent. He’s now available tomorrow 100 per cent to play.”
Emery was then asked if Jhon Duran, who has three Premier League goals in four appearances this season and who, like Watkins, had a goal disallowed by the video assistant referee (VAR) in the win at Young Boys, could be included in Villa’s starting line-up.
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“As a striker, he (Duran) is helping us score goals and making a good impact but the idea is to play in the starting team,” Emery said.
“I don’t know (if he will start) tomorrow or Tuesday or next weekend, but he is close and ready to play and add more minutes to play with us.
“(He might) play with Watkins, play together, play alone. We have a very good player and his commitment now is getting better. I think after a difficult summer he is 100 per cent focused here. I think everything now is going like we want.”
Villa have nine points from their opening four Premier League fixtures while Wolves have just one point and are searching for their first league victory of the season.
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(Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images)
