Aston Villa have the opportunity to add one more piece of history to a memorable season as they face Crystal Palace on the Premier League final day.
Aston Villa saw their Champions League qualification confirmed as the 3-3 draw against Liverpool on Monday night was followed by Tottenham Hotspur losing 2-0 to Manchester City 24 hours later.
Unai Emery deserves enormous credit for overseeing such an achievement in a season in which he also had to contend with a run to the Europa Conference League semi-final.
Next campaign will represent the first time Villa have played in Europe’s elite club competition since 1983, however against Palace Ollie Watkins has the opportunity to do something that hasn’t been done since two years prior that that in 1981.
Ollie Watkins could be first 20-goal Aston Villa top flight player in 43 years
The form of Watkins has been pivotal to Villa’s success this season.
The 28-year-old was firmly in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot just a matter of weeks ago, but a short baron spell combined with Erling Haaland’s return to form has put an end to that.
He has still had a remarkable campaign, showing Gareth Southgate he deserves a spot in the soon-to-be-announced England squad for the Euros this summer.
Watkins has the joint most goal contributions in England’s top flight this season, with his 32 matched only by Haaland and Cole Palmer, and will hope to overtake the pair against Palace.
Watkins’ goal contributions consist of 19 goals and 13 assists and he will be desperate to score the elusive 20th at Selhurst Park on Sunday.
If he achieves this feat, then he be the first Villa play to score 20 in a top flight season since Peter Withe in a season in which the midlands club won the first division in 1980/81.
What makes this even more impressive is the fact that not one of Watkin’s 19 league strikes has come from the penalty spot, with Douglas Luiz the man entrusted with converting from 12-yards.
Recent history suggests Watkins could equal record v Crystal Palace
Given his standards this season, the fact that Watkins has not scored in his last four league games could well be considered a drought.
The striker has scored once since netting against Arsenal on 14th April, with a goal in the first leg of the Europa Conference League semi-final against Olympiacos, but failed to score against Bournemouth, Chelsea, Brighton and Liverpool.
Villa’s record against Palace suggests they should score at least one, with The Villans having scored in all but one of their last nine fixtures against Sunday’s opponents.
This, combined with the fact Villa beat Palace 3-1 in September, should give Watkins confidence he can hit the 20-goal mark he has been desperately chasing for over a month and etch has name into history.
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