Ollie Watkins picks his top five Premier League strikers of all-time | OneFootball

Aston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins has named his top five strikers of the Premier League era. The main man at Villa Park has enjoyed a steady rise from the depths of Exeter City to being one of many Harry Kane understudies under Gareth Southgate and now, he may have ruffled some feathers with some notable omissions among his five-man shortlist for the English top-flight’s best-ever centre forwards.

In fairness, the Premier League has homed some of the sport’s brightest target men since its re-branding in 1992 and of course, when being restricted to picking just five of the best, there are bound to be some big names that so narrowly miss out. Without further ado, let’s dissect his picks.

No room for Rooney, Aguero and Drogba

Watkins has managed to miss out some top, top strikers, with many being household names thanks to their knack for scoring goals and being a nuisance week in week out – alas, there’s no room for them in the Englishman’s selection. And boy, there’s some supreme talent that miss out.

His compatriot Wayne Rooney doesn’t make the cut, despite being a centrepiece to much of Manchester United’s glory in yesteryear, scoring 253 goals and notching 145 assists for the 13-time Premier League champions. As does former Manchester City marksman Sergio Aguero. The pint-sized Argentine is held in high regard on the blue side of Manchester – and it’s easy to see why.

Regarded as Manchester City’s second-best player of all time, his decade-long influence cannot be overlooked as he plundered 260 goals in 390 appearances. To complete the trio of hard done by strikers, Didier Drogba – in the eyes of Watkins – did not do enough to warrant a spot in his list of the division’s leading strikers.

Despite being included in José Mourinho’s XI of the best players he has managed in his seasoned managerial career, Watkins has, instead, picked five others above him. And don’t get us wrong, they all deserve their spot, but to leave the aforementioned trio out just shows the level of strikers the Premier League have had the pleasure of boasting over the years.

5. Jermain Defoe

Scoring five goals in one half is deserving of a spot in itself, right? The former Tottenham Hotspur talisman picked up a quintet of strikes against Wigan Athletic back in 2009 but offered much, much more than that. Perhaps underused by his nation, Jermain Defoe was a menace to many a club in the topflight and scored 163 goals during his 496-game Premier League career.

4. Robin van Persie

Perhaps an outside shout, ‘The Flying Dutchman’, who picked up 102 games and 50 goals for his country, plied his trade for Arsenal for eight years before leaving for the bright lights of Old Trafford. Hailed as the sole reason Manchester United were classed as English champions, Robin van Persie picked up the Golden Boot gong in the process – though, he has been brandished as one of football’s biggest traitors on the back of his cross-England switch.

3. Ruud van Nistelrooy

What a player! Ruud van Nistelrooy just pips his fellow countryman onto the podium in Watkins’ eyes. One of the most lethal strikers of the Premier League era, he often made the art of goalscoring look scarily simple, notching 150 times in 219 games under Sir Alex Ferguson’s imperious Red Devils. A natural finisher that struck fear into many of the division’s greatest shot-stoppers, his innate movement was another impressive facet of his game. Have any qualms over his inclusion? Just take a look at his top five Premier League goals.

2. Alan Shearer

“Alan Shearer, obviously he set the record and can’t go unnoticed.”

The Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer had to be in at some point, didn’t he? While many argue that Alan Shearer didn’t boast the same flair and excitement as some on this list, something you cannot dispute is his ability to do what all strikers are ordered to do: score goals. Above the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Bobby Moore, and John Terry as England’s best-ever players, his 260-goal career in the league ensures his name is enshrined in England folklore for the rest of time, given his record may never be beaten (we’re looking at you, Kane).

1. Thierry Henry

And who are we to argue? Arguably the greatest player to ever grace the Premier League, somehow the Frenchman was never awarded a Ballon d’Or. But don’t let that distract you from what a fantastic footballer Thierry Henry was. An adored figure in north London, the charismatic Frenchman was practically unstoppable at the peak of his powers.

Watch: Full clip of Ollie Wakins' picks