{"id":297969,"date":"2023-11-18T13:24:59","date_gmt":"2023-11-18T13:24:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allmysportsnews.com\/?p=297969"},"modified":"2023-11-18T13:24:59","modified_gmt":"2023-11-18T13:24:59","slug":"ollie-watkins-picks-his-top-five-premier-league-strikers-of-all-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allmysportsnews.com\/soccer\/ollie-watkins-picks-his-top-five-premier-league-strikers-of-all-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Ollie Watkins picks his top five Premier League strikers of all time"},"content":{"rendered":"
Ollie Watkins has named his top five Premier League strikers of all time with an Arsenal legend clinching top spot, but there was no room for Wayne Rooney.<\/p>\n
The Aston Villa striker has been in a rich vein of form this season, scoring six Premier League goals and registering five assists to put Unai Emery’s side within three points of table-toppers Manchester City.<\/p>\n
Consecutive England call-ups have demonstrated Gareth Southgate’s ambitions to use Watkins as a back-up for Three Lions captain Harry Kane at next year’s European Championship.<\/p>\n
His goalscoring exploits for Villa this season have made Watkins one of the most formidable strikers in the English top-flight and he has now revealed the former professionals who inspired him.<\/p>\n
Watkins has scored 11 goals in all competitions with Villa fighting for silverware in the Carabao Cup, UEFA Europa Conference League and the Premier League.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins picked his top five Premier League strikers of all time<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Watkins (right) is currently on international duty with England where he provides back-up for Three Lions captain Harry Kane<\/p>\n
Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n
The 27-year-old has rose through the ranks of English football, starting his career at Exeter City during which time he had a spell at non-league side Weston Super Mare, before moving onto Brentford and eventually Aston Villa.<\/p>\n
Watkins picked his top five Premier League strikers of all time in a recent interview with BT Sport and named former Spurs forward Jermain Defoe as his fifth choice.<\/p>\n
Defoe scored 302 career goals with spells at Tottenham, West Ham and Sunderland proving as the most rewarding before he retired last year following a stint at Rangers.<\/p>\n
Watkins then picked former Arsenal and Man United goalscorer Robin van Persie as the Premier League’s fourth best striker after the Dutchman’s heroics at both clubs.<\/p>\n
Van Persie was a legend at Arsenal before swapping the Gunners for Man United where his goalscoring exploits guided the club to a 13th Premier League crown and Sir Alex Ferguson’s final title.<\/p>\n
Another United striker made a surprise inclusion in Watkins’ top picks as Ruud van Nistelrooy clinched third spot.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
There was no place for Wayne Rooney as Watkins picked his top five Premier League strikers<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry (third from left) was named by Watkins as the best Premier League striker<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Former Man United and Arsenal striker Robin van Persie also made the list of legendary forwards<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
England and Newcastle legend Alan Shearer was named second in the list behind Henry<\/p>\n
Van Nistelrooy’s time at Old Trafford seen him burst onto the scene with 95 Premier League goals in just 150 appearances, before he was then sold to Real Madrid.<\/p>\n
Alan Shearer was the runner-up for Watkins with the Englishman still holding the all-time Premier League goals record after scoring 260 times in the competition.<\/p>\n
However, top spot was reserved for Arsenal icon Thierry Henry, who Watkins described as a player who he ‘idolises’.<\/p>\n
The Frenchman scored 175 goals during his time with the Gunners, during which time he won the Premier League twice before being sold to Barcelona.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube, Apple Music and Spotify.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Your browser does not support iframes.<\/p>\n