Ollie Watkins Shines as Aston Villa Secure Dominant 5-0 Victory over Sheffield United

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery praised the outstanding performance of Ollie Watkins as Aston Villa cruised to an emphatic 5-0 victory over Sheffield United.

Watkins, the star striker of Aston Villa, showcased his exceptional skills as he scored a goal and provided a hat-trick of assists in the game, leaving fans and pundits in awe. This impressive display earned Watkins a total of 18 points in the Fantasy Premier League, making him the third most-captained player for Gameweek 23 with over 900,000 Fantasy managers selecting him as their captain.

In addition to his incredible performance against Sheffield United, Watkins had previously delivered a remarkable 23-point score at home against Norwich City in Gameweek 7, making him the player with the highest points return so far in the 2023/24 Fantasy season.

The only other forward to achieve such a high points return this season is Erling Haaland, who scored 20 points against Wolverhampton Wanderers in Gameweek 4. However, Watkins still surpasses all other players in terms of attacking returns, with a total of 25, three more than any other player, having reached double figures for both goals (11) and assists (14).

Since his return from injury, Haaland has become the most sought-after player in the Fantasy Premier League, with more than 781,000 managers transferring him into their teams. With Villa playing away at Bramall Lane, Haaland was expected to perform well, considering he has registered 10 attacking returns in away matches so far.

Joining Haaland in the popular transfers in is Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, who was bought by over 452,000 Fantasy managers. De Bruyne, who recently made his comeback from injury, delivered a notable 12-point return in Gameweek 21 and contributed a seven-point score in the most recent match. Fantasy managers owning De Bruyne will be hoping for back-to-back starts from the Belgian as Man City plays their upcoming match.

Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon secured the third spot in the most transferred-in players list, with over 405,000 managers recruiting him. Starting up front in the absence of Alexander Isak and with Callum Wilson on the bench, Gordon continued his impressive home record with an assist in Newcastle’s thrilling 4-4 draw against Southampton at St James' Park. Unfortunately, Gordon was substituted at half-time due to an injury, leaving Fantasy managers eagerly awaiting an update on his fitness.

In terms of home performances in the 2023/24 Fantasy season, only Mohamed Salah has accumulated more points than Gordon’s impressive total of 80.