‘Nightmare to play against’: Alan Hutton shocked by how fit one Aston Villa player is

Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins has been praised by Alan Hutton, who believes the 25-year-old would be a “nightmare to play against”.

Watkins has been superb for the Villans since joining last year from Brentford in a reported £28million deal, potentially rising to £33million with add-ons.

He has hit the ground running in his first Premier League season, registering 10 goals and three assists in 25 top-flight appearances.

(Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Watkins has also played every minute of Villa’s league campaign this term, but he still looks like he’s got plenty left in the tank.

Against Sheffield United, he made plenty of good runs behind the back line, helped tee up John McGinn for a great chance and had a solid penalty shout ruled out.

“As an ex-defender, Watkins must be a nightmare to play against,” Hutton told BBC Sport (18:30).

“He doesn’t give anyone a second. Where is he getting these energy levels from? He has played almost every game.”

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Watkins, a star for Brentford last season, has hit the ground running for Villa since his move, looking good value for his transfer fee already.

There are always going to be hiccups in a season, such as in last night’s defeat, but overall, the future is looking bright at Villa Park under Dean Smith.