From Chelsea reject to Watkins ‘upgrade’ – Jackson makes fast Villa start

Nicolas Jackson scored two goals to lead Aston Villa to a victory over Manchester City, continuing an impressive start to his career at Villa Park. The 25-year-old Senegal international joined Villa from Chelsea in the summer on a deal worth up to £65m to replace Ollie Watkins. Jackson has now scored seven goals in his first 11 appearances across all competitions, including six in his last six matches.

The performance against City came on the fourth anniversary of Unai Emery's appointment as Aston Villa manager. Jackson previously played under Emery at Villarreal before moving to Chelsea, and pundit Martin Keown described the striker as a potential upgrade on Watkins, citing his superior pace, penalty-area threat, and improved conversion rate.