Ollie Watkins reveals Michael Owen has told Aston Villa striker to play 'angry' to realise World Cup dream with England

Villa forward Watkins has revealed he has been in regular contact with Owen as he looks to sharpen his game and strengthen his international prospects. Watkins explained that he reached out to Owen directly through social media, eager to gain insight from a player who reached the very top level with both club and country. The Villa striker believes learning from someone with Owen’s experience can help him rediscover the intensity that made him such a dangerous forward.

Watkins revealed how their conversations began and what the former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker told him. The 30-year-old says Owen’s key piece of advice is simple: play with anger and become a constant nuisance for defenders.

"I speak to Michael Owen quite a bit,' he admitted, as quoted by Daily Mail. "Someone like him, who has hit levels I've not achieved, knows how I'm thinking and can give advice. It's nice to be in my position and be able to reach out to these people. I sent him a message on Instagram and we had a chat. He feels I'm at my best when I play angry and when I'm a nuisance. He wants me to bring that to the table as much as possible."

Watkins has endured a challenging campaign despite scoring 12 goals across all competitions. The forward admitted the season has tested him mentally as he tries to maintain the standards he set after his heroics with England at Euro 2024.

"Throughout my career, this season has been the toughest," Watkins told the BBC after he scored a brace in Villa's 3-1 win over Bologna in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals. "I've done so well to get to where I am and I hit a new level scoring goals in Europe. You set that expectation."

"When I scored for England at the Euros (in the semi-final win over the Netherlands at Euro 2024) there were more eyes on me. This year I haven't been at the level I wanted to and learning to deal with that is hard."

"Football can always change. You can score three goals in a game and everyone says you're back in form. But this year has been difficult, not being at the level I want to be, even though I always have faith in my ability. I know I can get back to the level I reached in previous seasons."

Watkins will now look to build on his recent momentum as Villa continue their push for success in both domestic and European competitions. The Villans currently sit fourth in the Premier League table with 54 points, just one point behind third-placed Manchester United. They next face Nottingham Forest, followed by the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Bologna next week.