"Ollie Watkins leaves talkSPORT host tearfully overwhelmed upon surpassing his Premier League milestone"
Astonishing Uproar: Gabby Agbonlahor's Heartbreak as Ollie Watkins Snatches Premier League Goals Record
Live on talkSPORT, Gabby Agbonlahor was left in tears after Ollie Watkins snatched his coveted Premier League goals record for Aston Villa. Watkins scored the historic goal against Bournemouth in Saturday's 1-0 victory, making it his 75th goal for the club in the Premier League, surpassing Agbonlahor's 74.
Watkins' achievement was witnessed by Agbonlahor in person, though the bittersweet moment served up heartbreak rather than triumph for the former Villa star. Despite attending the game with a hopeful spirit, Agbonlahor found himself in despair as the record that had once been his alone was broken.
Now a part of the talkSPORT family, Agbonlahor joined the GameDay Phone-In at halftime, warmly reminiscing about the days when his record stood tall. "I nearly started crying when it went in. I was like, 'Lino, offside lino!'" he lamented to Jamie O'Hara and Jason Cundy after they jokingly claimed that he was no longer a 'legend' at Villa.
Despite the situation, Agbonlahor maintained an upbeat attitude, expressing his hope that Watkins' performance would propel Aston Villa forward to secure Champions League qualification. He continually appealed to the linesman for an offside call, but to no avail.
Looking ahead to future appearances, Agbonlahor will co-host the Breakfast show in the talkSPORT studios next week and anticipated teasing from fellow presenter Ally McCoist for his now-surpassed record.
Watkins clinched his 75 goals for Villa across 182 Premier League matches since joining the club from Brentford in September 2020. Compared to Agbonlahor's 74 goals in 322 appearances, Watkins has made a striking impact in less half the number of games.
Needless to say, Watkins was elated about claiming such a prestigious record for Aston Villa, albeit at the expense of his former teammate. As he celebrated his achievement, Watkins cheekily commented on Agbonlahor's prolonged hold on the goals record.
"Gabby, it's been a long time you've held that record. But it's now time to pass it over to me, let me have my moment!" Watkins exclaimed, adding, "But it's an unbelievable achievement and I'm really pleased."
Watkins' latest strike for Aston Villa could be a significant catalyst for their aspirations to qualify for the Champions League. As of now, Aston Villa is in sixth place, level on points with Chelsea, the team occupying the final Champions League spot, but ahead only on goal difference.
With three more games left in the season, Aston Villa faces challenges from Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United. Victory in those encounters will be crucial if they are to clinch a coveted Champions League spot.
Sources:
[1] Wikipedia, Aston Villa FC Records and Statistics - Premier League
- Ollie Watkins, now the Premier League goals record holder for Aston Villa, was chagrined as Gabby Agbonlahor watched in despair during the game.
- Agbonlahor, a guest on the talkSPORT GameDay Phone-In, lamented an embarrassing offside call that allowed Watkins to surpass his record.
- Amidst teasing from fellow presenters, Agbonlahor will co-host the Breakfast show next week, hoping to add some vitality to conversations about European-leagues and the Premier League.
- Watkins' 75 goals in 182 Premier League matches for Aston Villa mark a striking impact in less than half the games played by Agbonlahor, who scored 74 goals in 322 appearances.
- As the NFL and football seasons wind down, sports fans' attention will soon shift to the Champions League and the Premier League, where Aston Villa could potentially secure a spot thanks to Watkins' performance.
- Aston Villa currently stands in sixth place in the Premier League, level on points with Chelsea but ahead on goal difference, making every game until the end of the season vital to their Champions League aspirations.
- From Nottingham Forest to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, Aston Villa faces challenging matches to ensure their addition to the prestigious Champions League in the following season.
