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

Nicolas Jackson scored twice as Aston Villa beat Manchester City 2-1, continuing an impressive start to his spell at the club. Signed from Chelsea to replace Ollie Watkins, Jackson is helping Villa recover from a slow Premier League start and has also contributed to their perfect Champions League record.

The 25-year-old Senegal international has scored seven goals in 11 appearances for Villa, including six in his last six. His four league goals in seven games have come at an average of one every 138 minutes, compared with one every 210 minutes across his Chelsea league record; former Villa defender Martin Keown called him an upgrade on Watkins. Watkins scored 91 league goals in 221 appearances for Villa before moving to Saudi Arabia in August, while Jackson’s summer deal could be worth up to £65m.