---
title: "Aston Villa: Ollie Watkins a doubt against Crystal Palace"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-ollie-watkins-injury-news-crystal-palace/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Charlie Smith"
section: "Aston Villa News"
published: "2022-05-15T07:15:11Z"
modified: "2022-05-15T07:15:11Z"
---

# Aston Villa: Ollie Watkins a doubt against Crystal Palace

**[Aston Villa](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-news/) striker Ollie Watkins only has an [outside chance](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-team-news-palace-23951328) of featuring against Crystal Palace this afternoon due to injury.**

### The Lowdown: Injury scare

Watkins, who Gregg Evans labelled as the [‘real deal’](https://thisisfutbol.com/2020/10/blogs/premier-league/aston-villa-gregg-evans-heaps-praise-on-ollie-watkins-aston-villa-ollie-watkins-brentford/) back in 2020, has been a regular this season, missing just [one](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ollie-watkins/leistungsdaten/spieler/324358) Premier League game under Steven Gerrard.

[Aston Villa latest updates!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/aston-villa-latest-updates/)

The 26-year-old has attracted interest from West Ham as a result of his displays this season, scoring [10 times in 32](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/ollie-watkins/leistungsdaten/spieler/324358) top-flight fixtures.

The England international picked up an [ankle injury](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-team-news-palace-23951328) in the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool on Tuesday, and it looks as if he may not recover in time for the clash with Patrick Vieira’s side this afternoon.

### The Latest: Preece’s post

Villa correspondent [Ashley Preece](https://twitter.com/PreeceObserver/status/1525098822925533184) relayed injury updates from Gerrard’s pre-match press conference on Twitter, one of which was on Watkins.

The forward was yet to train as a result of his ankle issue and only has an [outside chance](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-team-news-palace-23951328) of featuring against Palace. However, there was some good news, with Jacob Ramsey [set](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-team-news-palace-23951328) to be back in the squad following a groin problem.

\[freshpress-poll id=”389779″\]

### The Verdict: Options

Gerrard has gone with [three](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aston-villa/spielplan/verein/405) different systems in Villa’s last [four](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aston-villa/spielplan/verein/405) Premier League games, and this update on Watkins could result in more tactical changes.

He stuck with a [4-3-1-2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aston-villa/spielplan/verein/405) formation against Liverpool, however, with Watkins a doubt, he may have to resort back to either a [4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/aston-villa/spielplan/verein/405), with a winger coming in for Watkins and Danny Ings going as a lone striker.

Club-record signing Emiliano Buendia was [on the bench](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61303113) last time out, so perhaps he’ll come back into the XI, or Bertrand Traore is another option after [replacing](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61303113) Watkins in the week.

***In other news: [NSWE now close to agreeing deal for another midfielder alongside Coutinho.](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-news/aston-villa-transfer-news-ewan-simpson-deal/)***