Duran proving he’s more than just a super sub | OneFootball

Unai Emery has had a welcome selection headache this season with the performances of Jhon Duran seeing the forward challenge Ollie Watkins for a place in the Aston Villa side.

So far, Emery has opted for one or the other. Duran has more often been the man to miss out, though the 21-year-old has forged a reputation for changing games from the bench. Duran has scored six times as a substitute this season, though his record from the start is equally as impressive.

After scoring in Villa’s 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest at the weekend, the Colombian has now netted in each of his five starts across all competitions this season. Right now, Duran is proving to be a more effective goalscoring presence than Watkins and has averaged a goal every 78.7 minutes in 2024/25.

Watkins, in contrast, has scored four less goals than Duran amid significantly greater game time. His goals (7) have come roughly every 213 minutes this season.

Is it time for Duran to be handed first-choice status? It appears harsh given Watkins’ performances last season, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to leave the former out. Emery has suggested he will look to find a way to play both in his side – though will not risk upsetting the balance of the team.

“The next challenge I have is to play with both,” Emery said last week.

“We are trying and I will try again to play with both. We have to keep the balance, tactically, playing with both. The team is always first. They are both very good strikers – each of them are different.

“Watkins is getting more experiences with the [England] national team and with us in Europe, being consistent, being competitive always in everything we need on the field.

“Jhon Duran has big potential. He is progressively getting better. His adaptation started two years ago and it’s much better than the process we had.”

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