Ollie Watkins outlines Aston Villa trophy desire ahead of Manchester United rematch
Ollie Watkins has outlined his desire to help Villa end their long trophy drought as they prepare to visit Manchester United in the Carabao Cup.
Thursday’s third-round tie is Villa’s second meeting with the Red Devils in five days, with Unai Emery’s men aiming to follow up Sunday’s superb 3-1 Premier League victory in the head coach’s first match in charge.
Emery, who arrived in the Midlands last week, has stated his ambition of delivering the club’s first major trophy since the 1996 League Cup and Watkins has confirmed that sentiment is shared in the dressing room.
The striker said: “We want a good cup run. I want to win something so hopefully we can go there (to Old Trafford) and get through.
“We have so many good players, this is a massive club and we have underachieved for many years. That is everyone’s aim.
“The cup competitions, the FA Cup too, I have never really got very far in my career. I really want to progress and try to win it. That would be a dream.”
Having ended a 27-year wait to beat United at home in the league, Villa will try to halt a rotten recent cup record against the Red Devils which stretches back almost as long.
Their last win came in 1999 against a second-string United team in the third round of the League Cup. Since then they have lost six ties on the bounce, including the 2010 League Cup final at Wembley. The most recent defeat came in January this year when United edged an FA Cup third round tie 1-0 at Old Trafford, with Danny Ings seeing a second-half equaliser controversially disallowed by VAR.
“That was one of our best performances (last season), I think,” recalls Watkins. “But you need a bit of luck as well. If you draw the lowest ranked team, it is obviously a bit easier than playing United.
“It is going to be a different game, obviously, to Sunday. Old Trafford isn’t an easy place to go and after Sunday they will be wanting to beat us. Hopefully we can repeat our performance and result.”
Emery must make at least one enforced change to his starting XI with Leander Dendoncker cup-tied having featured in Wolves’ 2-1 second round win over Preston. Jan Bednarek is also unavailable having featured for Southampton earlier in the competition. Captain John McGinn is likely to return for the first time since last month’s 3-0 defeat at Fulham, while Emery may also give Morgan Sanson a first start since April.
Watkins is eager to keep his place. Though the 26-year-old impressed with his all-round display in the win over United, he admitted a return of just two goals so far this season had been a source of frustration.
“As a striker I want to score, no matter what,” he said. “Even if I have had a bad game and come off with two goals, sometimes I am happy because I have still scored.
“On Sunday I would have been delighted to be on the scoresheet but I still felt I was involved and brought things to the team. So I’m happy with that. Hopefully now I can push on. I know I can score in this league, it is just about believing. When I get the chance I will back myself to put it away.”
