Emery leaves door open for Watkins and Tammy Abraham partnership as Villa chase attacking spark

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has refused to dismiss the possibility of deploying both Ollie Watkins and Tammy Abraham in the same starting lineup, signalling a potential tactical shift as Villa seek greater attacking efficiency heading into their Premier League meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The arrival of Abraham – an English international of Nigerian descent – during the January transfer window intensified competition in Villa’s forward line, placing renewed pressure on Watkins to maintain his influence in Emery’s evolving system.

Yet rather than framing the situation as a straight selection dilemma, the Villa boss suggested coexistence between the two strikers remains a realistic option depending on tactical demands.

“There are still matches to play and I believe he will achieve his objective, scoring goals and adding more assists,” Emery said when assessing Watkins’ season outlook.

The Spaniard emphasised that Villa’s ambitions rely on collective output, while individual attacking numbers remain essential to sustaining momentum across multiple competitions.

Competition for places has grown sharper, but Emery insisted his confidence in both forwards remains unchanged. “I have massive respect for Ollie Watkins and massive respect for Tammy Abraham. They are both fantastic strikers,” he noted, underlining the depth now available in his attacking department.

Crucially, Emery did not exclude the prospect of pairing the duo, adding: “Whoever plays tomorrow (Friday), or if they play together, they must perform and focus on our gameplan to achieve three points.”

Villa’s recent performances have highlighted moments of creativity without consistent finishing, an issue Emery believes extends beyond individual forwards. “Our challenge is to help our offensive players score more goals,” he explained.