Watkins has managed just one goal in 13 appearances this season as he has been struggling to rediscover the sharpness that once made him a constant threat. Despite Watkins’ drought, Villa continue to punch above their weight under Emery. Nine games into the campaign, they sit just two points adrift of fourth-placed Sunderland and remain firmly in the mix for a Champions League spot. Their 1-0 win over Manchester City earlier this month, sealed by Matty Cash’s clinical first-half strike, showed Emery’s tactical nous remains intact. However, it also exposed Villa’s biggest weakness, a lack of cutting edge in front of goal. With only nine goals in the league so far, the lowest among the top ten clubs, the West Midlands outfit risk seeing their impressive structure undermined by wastefulness in attack. Heskey didn’t mince his words when assessing Villa’s attacking dilemma.
“I think they need goal-scorers,” he said. “Villa under Emery has done really well but you always need goals. “They need Ollie Watkins and other forwards to step up and contribute. They can create chances, and they really need people to finish them off. They did really well against City, too. They were aggressive, throwing their bodies on the line, but we need to see that kind of commitment every week. They also need people to finish things up the other end.”