Ollie Watkins has praised Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery for helping him get back in the England squad. The striker returned to the international scene for the first time since March 2022 and hit the only goal of the game as England beat Australia 1-0 in a Wembley friendly on Friday night. Watkins, 27, has scored four goals and provided four assists in the first eight Premier League games of the new season – including a memorable hat-trick against Brighton. He had scored just twice last campaign before Emery was appointed as Steven Gerrard’s successor in November but then hit 14 in 26 matches following the Spaniard’s arrival at Villa Park. Asked how it felt to return to the England set-up following time out of the squad, Watkins said: “I think my mindset has changed since the boss has come in, Unai Emery at Villa. “He’s filled me with a lot of confidence. I’ve definitely improved in these last 18 months since I was last in the England camp. I think my mindset has changed since the boss has come in...he's filled me with a lot of confidence Ollie Watkins on Unai Emery “I think it shows in my form and my performance here so I’m really happy and I’m delighted to be back in the squad and putting on an England shirt. “I envisioned it all (playing and scoring against Australia). I was itching to get on the pitch so I’m delighted I got my goal and it helped the team to win.” Realistically, Watkins is one of a number of forward options who will be vying to be the back-up to England captain and all-time record goalscorer Harry Kane at Euro 2024. Callum Wilson, Ivan Toney, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and newly-capped Eddie Nketiah are other strikers in Gareth Southgate’s pool but Watkins believes he is not a like-for-like replacement for Kane when he is given the nod. “I think I’ve got a completely different playing style to Harry, he can drop deep and play some unbelievable long passes – that’s not my game. I can’t do that,” he added. “My strengths are running in behind and stretching them so I can only do what I can do. When I put on the shirt I’ll try and do the best I can for my country and then it is the manager’s decision.” Read More Talking points as England face Fiji in World Cup quarter-finals Daniel James insists Wales can still qualify for Euro 2024 I feel sorry for the manager – Chiedozie Ogbene sympathises with Stephen Kenny Gareth Southgate questions why England fans booed Jordan Henderson Stephen Kenny admits Republic of Ireland ‘needed to win’ against Greece Ben Davies: Wales go into Croatia clash believing anything’s possible

The reason why Shakhtar Donetsk are playing Barcelona in Germany during their Champions League game with the La Liga side.

The Reds have seen many players play above the expectations on them as well as a couple players playing below these expectations. Who's earned an apology?It's exciting times for Reds fans here in 2023. They are one of hottest teams in the game as well as being one of the youngest teams...

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert will return to this year's Preakness Stakes after serving a lengthy suspension from the sport.

Ange Postecoglou insists Tottenham must accept the pain of defeat after Wolves’ stunning late show. Pablo Sarabia and Mario Lemina scored in stoppage time to cap an astonishing finish, seal a 2-1 win and deny Spurs top spot in the Premier League. Brennan Johnson’s first Tottenham goal had given them an early lead and they were set to move two points clear at the summit despite riding their luck for much of the game. But, instead, Spurs have suffered successive defeats following Monday’s 4-1 loss to Chelsea. Postecoglou said: “It’s part of the pain of football when things happen in those circumstances. You’ve just got to take it. I can’t fault the players’ effort or their commitment. It was always going to be a tough game. “We started well but we could have been a little bit more positive and aggressive with the ball. I’ve got to temper that with the fact we have had so many changes and we’re not going to get the same, especially when three of your back four are almost starting for the first time. “We’ve had a particularly settled line-up. You could see they were feeling it towards the end. For the most part Wolves didn’t have many big chances but at the end they scored. Wolves were able to lift themselves, particularly with the crowd behind them. “The character and commitment was there, don’t dismiss that. The guys have played their first game of the year and you are changing three of the back four so it’s fairly disruptive. There are plenty of positives to take.” Johnson gave Spurs, without injured pair James Maddison and Micky van de Ven until January, a third-minute lead when he turned in Pedro Porro’s cross from close range but, from then, Wolves took control. It's part of the pain of football when things happen in those circumstances. You've just got to take it. I can't fault the players' effort or their commitment. It was always going to be a tough game Ange Postecoglou Their tenacity and determination left Tottenham struggling but the hosts’ final ball let them down. It took until nine minutes into the second half for a clear chance but, when it came, Hwang Hee-Chan scuffed wide with just Guglielmo Vicario to beat. Tottenham looked like they would hang on, even going close to a second when Jose Sa turned Giovani Lo Celso’s shot over, before Wolves finally found the breakthrough. Substitute Sarabia, on the pitch for just two minutes, levelled when he collected Matheus Cunha’s neat pass and smashed a volley past Vicario. It was a deserved leveller but Wolves wanted more and got it in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Tommy Doyle’s quick free-kick sent Sarabia away and he picked out Lemina, running from deep, to poke the ball into the bottom corner. Boss Gary O’Neil said: “It was the most proud I have been of a group I have coached, to produce what they produced against a top side. “I would have been very proud of the group even if the game had finished 1-0 to Tottenham. I spoke to the boys at half-time, that the scoreline was irrelevant. We were the better side, don’t let the scoreline dictate how you feel. “I try to make the team resemble me but I was never good enough to produce a performance like that. “To be 12 weeks in, we’re ahead of where we expected to be. There was a lot of noise around the place about how much of a struggle it might be but we’ve beaten Man City and Spurs, the top two, early on in the transition. We’re ahead of the curve.” Read More Great Britain suffer shock early BJK Cup setback as Jodie Burrage loses opener Ben Stokes and Joe Root give England hope of ending World Cup on a high From Covid to the Copper Box: Maia Lumsden relishes her ‘unbelievable’ return On this day in 2015: Stuart Lancaster resigns as England head coach Mauricio Pochettino: Easier for new players at Man City than ‘evolving’ Chelsea Don’t worry about it – Ange Postecoglou brushes off series of Spurs setbacks

Coco Gauff said learning how to smile more often is behind her dazzling run at the US Open after she stormed into the semi-finals with a straight sets...

The first Grand Slam of the summer gets underway this weekend!The WTA descends on Roland-Garros for the 2023 French Open. The clay court tournament is set to be dominated by odds on favorite Iga Swiatek, who won this event in 2020 and 2022, two of her three Grand Slam titles. However, Swiatek ha...

The New Orleans Saints have placed receiver Michael Thomas on injured reserve

Rose Zhang finished eighth at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, which barely describes the exhilaration her play produced in her major debut.Rose Zhang has certainly been generating a lot of buzz lately. Having caused a sensation as a multiple-winning world No. 1 amateur, the 20-year-old ...

Rookie Jared Shuster allowed one hit in six innings to earn his first career win and the Atlanta Braves took their first series victory over Seattle in 12 years by beating the Mariners 3-2

Another week, another slate of NFL winners and losers as the Steelers and Falcons overcome adversity and the Patriots hit rock bottom.

Mickey Moniak had three hits and made a game-saving catch at the wall in the seventh inning as the Los Angeles Angels rallied for a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins Friday night after Halos’ starter Reid Detmers had a no-hitter for 5 2/3 innings