Alan Shearer Exclusive: Watkins is right to be angry and has decision to make this summer | OneFootball

Watkins must decide his Villa future

Ollie Watkins has been on the bench for a couple of big games recently, and has made some comments about it, but I think this is what the manager wanted. I imagine Unai Emery thought that if they were going to go deep into multiple competitions, which they have, then Aston Villa need a squad to do that.

It doesn't mean that you can't be disappointed and angry when you get left out and don't play in arguably your club's biggest game of the season against PSG.

Watkins said his manager would be fed up of him knocking on the door and asking, but you have to keep doing that. If you don't then you might as well just walk away.

I would be angry and raging if I was in Watkins' situation, especially after Emery does brought him in at the weekend. Watkins did really well, scored and won man of the match against Newcastle, then was left out against Man City - I mean, come on! What's happening here?

I suspect he'll have a decision to make in the summer.

Arsenal put a bid in for Watkins in January, whether that was to upset the apple cart or not, I'm not too sure.

I guess the conversations Watkins has with the manager at the end of the season will determine whether he wants to leave or not.

It depends if Villa can bring someone in, I don't know - there'll be plenty of clubs in for Watkins, that's for sure.

That also depends on what happens with Marcus Rashford. How are they going to get him out of Manchester United, in terms of salary, fee and all of those things? There will be a lot of work at Aston Villa at the end of the season.

Matheus Cunha won't change Man Utd on his own

Matheus Cunha has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford, but wouldn't make a difference for Manchester United on his own. They're going to need another six or seven players on top of that. He's just one of the players, if it is going to happen, but I understand the rumoured deal.

The reason why he signed a contract extension at Wolves was so that they could get rid of the release clause to get some decent money for him. United are going to need more than him, but he'll be a welcome addition, absolutely.

I don't know what they're going to have to pay Wolves for Cunha. I suspect it's quite a hefty amount. Has he got talent? Absolutely. Is he a bit of a maverick? Yes, but you get that with most good players - they have an edge to them and a side which some people may not like.

You have to get around that and manage it in different ways. Look at the very best ever players in United's history - Eric Cantona or George Best - and, while I'm not comparing Cunha to them, most top players have something about them.

I was the same. I got into one or two fights in my career, but that's what happens. You've got to have an edge to you.

United are missing so much in every position - we could talk all day about what's gone wrong this season in those positions for them.

They have also been linked with Liam Delap. They need a top-class centre-forward like the Ipswich man, but they need someone like Cunha as well. They need players defensively as well - all around the pitch they need reinforcements.

Whether they can go out and spend that much, I don't know. I suspect that may depend whether they get into the Champions League or not.

I've read that there's about a £30 million release clause for Liam Delap, which means that someone is going to get a real bargain. It isn't a lot of money for a centre-forward with his big potential.

He'll have tons of options. When you look at all the clubs who need a centre-forward in the Premier League - Arsenal, Chelsea, Man United, Liverpool, Spurs - there'll be huge clubs all looking at Delap.

Man Utd and Spurs have been embarrassing

For both Manchester United and Spurs, the Premier League has become an absolute write-off this season. It's been a disaster. You can make excuses - be it injuries, form, whatever you like.

Both are in the Europa League semi-finals and one may win the competition and qualify for next season's Champions League. But if they fail in that then for both clubs it has been an embarrassing season.

It's pretty simple for them, they have to win it, otherwise you know what could happen. I get it and I understand it, because they can't do anything in the league - it's embarrassing wherever they're going to finish, but Spurs could finish 17th!

It's incredible when you think about it. Last weekend I predicted a Forest win at Spurs and the same for Wolves at United and both happened. I think that tells you where both Spurs and Man United are.

It really has been a shocking season for both clubs - it's embarrassing.

Postecoglou's future looks ominous

Will Ange Postecoglou be at Spurs next season? I don't know, is the honest answer. Spurs sacked Jose Mourinho when he got to the League Cup final back in 2021.

If you've gone through that many managers, with that amount of finance, then you've got to question other things. Because, we've said it all before about Tottenham.

When you look at Nuno Espirito Santo, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. All these managers who have been there and are now being successful elsewhere - you should start to think, maybe it's not the managers' fault.

Ange did tell us that he always wins a trophy in his second season and he's in a semi-final. So let's see.

If he doesn't win, then I would fear for the club. It would be a remarkable situation with how bad they've been in the league that they could go on and actually win that competition.

I really can't predict what will happen at Tottenham. There's so much riding on both Man United and Spurs' seasons in the Europa League, in terms of finances, what they can spend next season and who they can attract in terms of players next season.

At the minute, while they're not in the Champions League, the position they're in is not very attractive at all for any player to go there.

I don't care what you've achieved in the past - right now Tottenham and United are without Champions League football. You might be a big club in name, but where you are and how you're going to attract names is going to be very difficult.

Now, fast forward six or seven weeks - if, somehow, one of them has managed to win the Europa League, the club is a very different prospect for players in the transfer market.

So, it's a huge end of the season for those football clubs. One of those two clubs has to win the Europa League.

United have got the tougher draw in the semi-finals, but if you're Tottenham, you've given yourself the opportunity to get to a final, playing against Bodo Glimt.

Spurs can't take their opponents lightly, but from a Spurs point of view in a semi-final against them with the chance to get to the Europa League final - come on! That's an incentive in itself isn't it.

Spurs must avoid confidence blow at Liverpool

Spurs play Liverpool on Saturday, and it could get messy. When you look at the two teams, how could you take any Spurs players and put them into a combined XI, with how Liverpool have been in the league?

So if you're asking me what the combined XI is for Spurs and Liverpool, it's Liverpool players from one to 11.

That will be pretty embarrassing for any Spurs fan to read but unfortunately it's reality.

Good for the Premier League to have Leeds and Burnley back

Both Leeds and Burnley deserved their promotions from the Championship. Burnley's record under Scott Parker has been unbelievable, conceding only 15 goals all season. They've never conceded more than one goal in a game - that is quite remarkable.

They've been the best two teams and deserve it. I'm pleased for their fans, we all know how tough it is for them.

It was great to see the celebrations with the fans and the players. You work so hard to get that moment and there's a lot of pressure on those players, the manager and the club.

Leeds are a huge football club with an unbelievable fanbase. I loved playing at Elland Road, not only because I used to score there every time, but I enjoyed the atmosphere as well. That is why it's good for the Premier League having Leeds back up. It adds to an already exciting Premier League that you've got a club of that size, with the fans and their passionate.

I think it's good for our league to have them both in there. I'm delighted for Burnley and Leeds fans.

Staying in the Premier League won't be easy

It'll change one day but it is going to be difficult for Burnley and Leeds and the question of how much they can invest. Everything that goes with it as well, how difficult it is - you talk to any manager, or any chief executive of those clubs who come up.

You've got to, somehow, by hook or by crook, stay in the Premier League. Whether it's by fluke or by being brilliant - whatever it is, a defensive record like Burnley's will help them.

So many times, you've heard Burnley fans this season saying: 'The football we've been playing this season is terrible! We just defend, don't concede and then we go and nick a goal at the other end.'

That might stand them in good stead, but it's not rocket science that the standard of football, particularly in forward areas when you get to the Premier League, is very different.

I don't suspect that Burnley will be able to sit tight and hold teams out, because at Premier League level you get found out.

Birmingham are promoted and Wrexham will likely follow

I would like to see both Birmingham and Wrexham in the Premier League one day. I think it's great what's happening at those football clubs. But I also would be cautious because of what they'll be able to spend in the Championship.

It's very different in League One. Whether either team will be able to go on and push on as much as they'd like, or can in terms of finances, is very different now they've reached that level.  But again, both Birmingham and Wrexham are two huge football clubs with massive fanbases.