Not only did Jhon Duran help Aston Villa take a huge step towards reaching the Champions League knockouts, the striker also sent a clear message to manager Unai Emery to reward him with a starting place.
Duran’s curling 25-yard strike in Villa’s 3-2 defeat of RB Leipzig on Tuesday was his 10th goal of the season, yet he has only made four starts in all competitions.
The Colombia international, 20, presented himself as a super-sub figure earlier this season, scoring from the bench in four of Villa’s five opening Premier League games.
The six goals he has scored as a substitute are more than any other player across Europe’s big five leagues in all competitions this season.
After failing to score in November, Duran has scored in back-to-back games and calls from fans for him to start more often are getting louder.
That is in part to the form of Ollie Watkins; the England striker played well in Leipzig, but he has scored just once from open play in his last 11 games.
This season Watkins has scored seven goals in all competitions, three fewer than Duran despite playing almost double the minutes.
Emery confirmed that Duran replaced Watkins at half-time on Tuesday due to the Englishman picking up a “small injury”, so Duran could get the nod against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
The question is, should Duran – Villa’s top scorer in the Champions League – keep the starting role when Watkins is fit?
‘I love the competition’
Since Duran joined Villa in January 2023, he has started alongside Watkins just twice.
Though Emery suggested on Monday that he is open to playing both of his strikers together, it’s clear his preference is one or the other.
That kind of situation could easily create friction between the two players, but Duran says he is happy to play whatever role the team needs him to.
“We worked hard as a team, and that is my job to score. The main thing was the win and the three points away from home,” Duran told Amazon Prime after the match.
“I’m just happy to be here and I actually love the competition with Ollie Watkins. When it’s my turn I’ll step up and hopefully I can score and help the team.
“We’re so happy to be where we are in the standings right now, but we’ve got to win the game at home [against Celtic] and we’re almost through so we are delighted about that.”
Duran turns 21 on Friday, and he knows exactly how he wants to celebrate.
“I am definitely not going out to celebrate my birthday because my aim is to score on Saturday to celebrate,” he added.
In his post-match interview, Emery gave a small insight into why he keeps starting Watkins over Duran.
“Sometimes he [Duran] is very impassioned and we have to try and keep balanced with him,” Emery told Amazon Prime.
“He scored a great goal and he works, we are trying to get the team strong with a tactical approach. His potential is massive. Tactically he is improving and today he played a fantastic 45 minutes.”
‘Don’t leave me out’
It’s not just Villa fans who are divided over which striker Emery should start going forward.
“I know he is only young but you have every right to go and ask the manager why you are not starting if you are doing what he wants,” Alan Shearer said of Duran on Amazon Prime.
“Forget your age. If you are doing your bit and doing what the manager wants, you have to be in the team. His message will be: Don’t leave me out again.”
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, former Villa winger Marc Albrighton made the case for Watkins.
“I thought Duran really led the line well. On previous occasions, obviously he gets his goals, but I think Watkins offers more as an all-round striker,” Albrighton said.
“I think that’s probably why Emery favours him to start games, but I thought tonight when Duran came on, he put himself about more, he got more involved in the link-up play and then tops it off with his goal as well.”