Today, although, they’re firmly established as contemporaries, proper now the 2 main English strikers within the nation, bar, in fact, Harry Kane. Watkins went into their newest assembly on the Gtech Neighborhood Stadium on Saturday as the shape man, having fired 11 objectives in 12 matches to steer Aston Villa’s resurgence beneath Unai Emery. However by the ultimate whistle, and regardless of Douglas Luiz’s late leveller for the guests, Toney had served a reminder of why he should – nearly – stay forward within the race to understudy Kane. The 27-year-old produced the type of all-round efficiency that marks him out as extra of a like-for-like deputy for the Three Lions skipper than Watkins, one which ought to have been sufficient to safe all three factors for Thomas Frank’s aspect. Learn MoreWith flying wingers Bryan Mbeumo and Kevin Schade to both aspect, Toney reprised Kane’s acquainted level function, the centrepiece of a counter-attacking machine that ripped Villa open again and again after the break. Finally, having seen each waste evident possibilities, the ahead took it on himself to interrupt the impasse, steaming in on the back-post to complete Mbeumo’s tremendous cross and bag his nineteenth Premier League aim of the season, fewer solely than Kane and you-know-who. Watkins, in the meantime, was largely stored in-check, his first opening coming with an ungainly free header from ten yards out within the dying minutes, an opportunity he would in truth have been higher passing up, with the wonderful Emiliano Buendia well-placed for a better end coming in behind.That mentioned, it could hardly be honest to mark Watkins on the power of this displaying, in opposition to a crew and a supervisor uniquely well-positioned to halt his sizzling streak.“I suppose we have been fairly ready for him,” Frank smiled, after his former participant didn’t both rating or help in a sport for under the second time since mid-January.Watkins was given a tremendous ovation by the house crowd and the Brentford boss admitted afterwards to feeling a way of private delight at watching two strikers he helped promote from the decrease leagues go head-to-head within the top-flight. Transferring in direction of the top of the season, Toney nonetheless has the unknown of an FA playing investigation hanging over him, whereas Watkins, with a view to Euro 2024, should flip his private new-manager-bounce into a chronic run of type subsequent time period, having loved comparable purple patches up to now, although none on this scale. Earlier than then, each are worthy of nearer examination when Gareth Southgate names his squad for June qualifiers in opposition to Malta and North Macedonia. What likelihood Brentford strikers previous and current heading to that camp collectively? “That might be the dream,” Frank agreed.
Ivan Toney reveals why he’s edging Ollie Watkins in England’s back-up striker contest
![Ivan Toney reveals why he’s edging Ollie Watkins in England’s back-up striker contest 6 Ivan Toney shows why he’s edging Ollie Watkins in England’s back-up striker contest](https://i0.wp.com/fifanews.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Ivan-Toney-shows-why-hes-edging-Ollie-Watkins-in-Englands.jpg?resize=860%2C573&ssl=1)