Ollie Watkins is making a powerful late push for England's World Cup squad, and Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has nothing but praise for the in-form striker. After being notably omitted from Thomas Tuchel's March squad following a challenging club campaign, the 30-year-old has roared back to life with a goal in Sunday's 2-2 draw at Burnley. That strike adds to an impressive run of seven goals and two assists in his last nine appearances across all competitions—a resurgence that has reignited his international ambitions.

"I'm just trying to do the best I can," Watkins told Match of the Day. "Every striker wants to score, so I'm trying to do that and create. We've got massive games coming up, so time to focus on that." With Tuchel set to name his provisional squad for the 2026 World Cup later this month, Watkins—who has scored six goals in 20 caps for England—is hoping his recent form will be enough to earn a ticket to the tournament.

Emery, never one to mince words, hailed his leading scorer's resilience. "He is doing fantastic—he is a fighter," the Villa boss said after the match. "Three months ago he was a little down, but we always have conversations about being consistent and working for the team every match. Now he is getting the numbers." For fans and pundits alike, Watkins' hot streak couldn't have come at a better time—both for Villa's push up the Premier League table and for his own World Cup dreams. Whether this surge is enough to convince Tuchel remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: Watkins is leaving nothing to chance.