Following Aston Villa‘s 2-0 win against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, Declan Rice was full of praise for one player.
Villa defeated the Gunners in a surprising result that has changed the course of the Premier League title race.
That Arsenal defeat has put Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the driving seat at the top of the Premier League standings.
Rice was speaking to the media after the defeat at the Emirates Stadium when he praised the Aston Villa players.
A few of Villa’s players, according to Rice, are “technically unreal,” and Ollie Watkins is a constant threat up top.
While speaking to Sky Sports, the England international said:
“It’s tough, really tough to take.
“Especially with the chances we had in the first half, the spaces there was. We had to take one of them because in the Premier League, teams will come back to bite you and hurt you.
“That’s what Villa did in the second half.”
“We’ve been so dominant in games but Villa have got some unbelievable players, technically unreal and Ollie up front is a constant goal threat.
“If you can’t win games of football, don’t lose. Look up at the clock with 15 to go and it’s 0-0, if you aren’t going to win then you take a point, especially in these situations.
“So to lose is a real kick in the teeth.”
Watkins has been the player of the season for Aston Villa
The Aston Villa striker has now scored 19 goals in the Premier League this season, just one goal less than Man City star Erling Haaland.
He showed exactly what the Gunners were missing in their team at the Emirates Stadium. A striker who is ruthless when given even the slightest of chances to score a goal.
Watkins has carried the Villa attack on his shoulders all season and taken the Premier League club on the verge of qualification to the Champions League.
Emery has transformed Aston Villa
Under the leadership of Emery, Villa are a completely changed team who have competed with the big boys of the Premier League this season.
Their consistency and form this season deserves praise as they have been one of the success stories of the Premier League under the Spaniard.
