Michael Owen compared Aston Villa’s in-form striker Ollie Watkins to Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez.
According to Premier League Productions, the former England striker believes Ollie Watkins and Darwin Nunez are two Premier League players who have “so much more ability than they show.”
On Sunday, Aston Villa defeated West Ham United 4-1, with Ollie Watkins scoring a critical third goal and assisting on his team’s first goal – Owen Hargreaves compared Watkins to Tottenham’s Son Heung-min.
Michael Owen made the connection between Ollie Watkins and Liverpool’s all-action striker because he believes the pair can ‘explode into being one of the very best in the Premier League’.
And, in the case of Ollie Watkins, he believes it is happening, with the 27-year-old scoring five goals and assisting five times this season (transfermarkt).
To put it in context, no one in Europe’s top five leagues has five or more goals and five or more assists, thus Villa’s key man is doing something special.
Darwin Nunez, on the other hand, has three goals and three assists in eight Premier League games (transfermarkt), which is excellent for a player who does not start on a regular basis.
Darwin Nunez and Ollie Watkins
“I always thought he had it in him,” Owen remarked of Watkins. “I’ve been saying that for a long time. I believe there are two Premier League players who have far more talent than they display.
“One of them is Ollie Watkins. Darwin Nunez, I believe, is the other one at Liverpool.
“I thought a year or so ago that both of those players could explode into being among the best in the Premier League.”
“I think this fella (Watkins) now is making huge strides to becoming that type of player.”
Can Watkins and Nunez score 20 or more Premier League goals?
You believe the combo has the ability to achieve such stats and establish themselves as one of the top performers in the Premier League.
In reality, Watkins is already singing and dancing near the top of the Premier League, with Unai Emery’s Arsenal lying fifth in the rankings.
Nunez, on the other hand, is showing indications of growth, becoming more clinical, as he demonstrated at St James’ Park this season, and is a player who still has a few more levels to reach.
You might argue that if Nunez was the main man and focal point at Villa Park, as Watkins is, he would be putting up enormous numbers and putting in top performances on a regular basis.
