Bad news for Aston Villa: Ollie Watkins forced off early with injury. Forward could be sidelined for a long time

Unai Emery may be without his team's key player for an extended period.

Details: Today, in the Matchday 8 fixture of the Europa League—which had no tournament significance for Aston Villa against Salzburg—the Lions' 30-year-old striker Ollie Watkins was forced to leave the pitch in the 35th minute of the first half due to a hamstring injury.

At this point, the final diagnosis and recovery timeline for Watkins remain unknown; he will undergo further examination, after which the medical staff will deliver their verdict.

However, on social media, Aston Villa supporters are already criticizing head coach Unai Emery for fielding all the team's top players in a match that meant nothing for Villa's campaign.

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This season, Aston Villa are fighting for the highest honors, including the Premier League title, where they currently sit third, just four points off the top spot.

So far this season, Watkins has played 32 matches for Villa, scoring 8 goals and providing 1 assist.

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