From the Arsenal fans to Mikel Arteta, their eyes will be fixated on Sunday’s Euro 2024 final between England and Spain.
Several Arsenal players are set to feature, including Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, who are expected to start, whilst Arteta hopes his star boys are outdone by his home nation.
England beat Holland in the Euro 2024 semi-final to get to this stage, whilst the Spanish saw off 2018 World Cup winners France.
There’s no doubt that England’s dramatic win over the Dutch was better because it included Ollie Watkins scoring an incredible last-minute winner.
Yes, Harry Kane is the main man for Gareth Southgate, which means the likes of Watkins and Ivan Toney get little game time.
But what Watkins did on Wednesday shouldn’t be a surprise because he scored 19 Premier League goals and supplied 13 assists during the recently concluded Premier League campaign to help Unai Emery’s men to the Champions League.
Brighton
Tony Cascarino labelled Watkins an ‘incredible footballer’ and he feels the Villa man was the ‘best player in the Premier League’ last term, including outperforming Spain midfield machine, Rodri.
The Manchester City man took his game to another level and now has guided Spain to an unexpected Euro 2024 final – Rio Ferdinand thinks Rodri is the ‘most valuable player in world football’.
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The former Republic of Ireland international added that if Watkins was in Arsenal colours last season, then ‘they would win the title’, as he told talkSPORT.
That’s why he has told Arteta to try and sign the 28-year-old now, even if Villa fans would ‘hate’ hearing it.
Could Ollie Watkins win Arsenal the Premier League title?
“I tell you what, he is an absolute pleasure to listen to and to watch,” said Cascarino. “We have talked at length about Ollie Watkins at Villa and how he has dragged a team. He has been outstanding for Villa.
If Arsenal had him, they would win the title. I thought he was the best player in the Premier League last year. I have talked about Rodri, obviously, I mean, as a forward, he was certainly my outstanding forward last year. He was, I thought, brilliant because he got Villa to a Champions League spot, and Villa fans who are watching and probably hate what I have just said, you know, about Ollie Watkins and leaving the Villa.
“He has just signed a new deal, which is fantastic for Villa because they need to keep him. If I was Arteta, I would be trying my hell to get him out of Villa Park – he has been an incredible professional footballer Ollie Watkins and now he is at a stage where people are saying (he should start for England in the Euro 2024 final).”
Should Ollie Watkins start for England v Spain in Euro 2024 final?
Amazingly enough, Kane is pushing for the Golden Boot at this summer’s Euros, but it’s fair to say that his performances haven’t been anywhere near it.
That’s why there are now calls for Watkins to start against Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
It would be a huge shock if that were to happen, simply because it’s not in Southgate’s nature to do such a thing.
But time and time again, as Arsenal fans would have witnessed, Bukayo Saka is running down the wing and cutting the ball back for fun, yet there is no one there to attack the ball.
You feel Saka would have a fair few assists to his name if Watkins, or even Toney, had earned more minutes.
