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The past week or so has been pretty eventful for Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins with a new long-term contract extension and an England call up off the back of his second hat trick of the season. It is four goals and four assists in the Premier League and counting for the 27-year-old but seven goals across all competitions if you also factor in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Watkins' first treble of the campaign came against Hibernian in the European qualifying rounds with the second coming against Brighton and Hove Albion as part of an irresistible display in a recent 6-1 win. Such strong form has brought the former Brentford and Exeter City man back to Gareth Southgate's October Three Lions squad for the Australia friendly and Italy UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier.

"It has definitely been a memorable week for me and one that I will never forget," said Watkins after extending his Villa Park stay until a reported 2028 last week. "I am very grateful that I have a lot of good people around me and a lot of good people at the club. I am so happy and glad that a lot of people here have been on the journey with me. It is a great day and it has been a great week.

"I am really happy. I feel like this is the best place for me to play my football -- I have still got a lot to achieve here. I feel like I have had a really good connection with the fans since I have come here. From day one they have been really good with me. We have had highs and lows but that is football.

Watkins is no newcomer to the England setup having last featured back in March of 2022 when he scored in a 3-0 friendly win over Ivory Coast but it took a strong run of form to earn his recall. An undisputed starter for Emery when fit, the Torquay-born talent gets largely rotated on the UECL stage for now as the Spaniard prioritizes domestic progress with Villa fifth.

"Firstly, I told him that his goals were a consequence of his work every day," Emery said after Watkins downed Brighton with a hat trick. "His commitment with the work tactically that we have to do not only in the attacking third but as well when we are defending. And then he has the quality when there are spaces to attack. We helped him try and get on to good balls. We are working with him individually, but he always wants to work more than we are trying to do with him."

Villa is a good place to be right now and not just for Watkins with last season's improbable seventh place finish Emery replaced Steven Gerrard earning Europa Conference League soccer. A 1-0 win over Zrinjski Mostar last Thursday corrected an opening loss to Legia Warsaw which means that Group E has four teams with three points apiece and Watkins feels the good times are back in B6.

"You can see the direction of the club, and I want to be a part of that," said the Englishman of his decision to commit his future to the upwardly mobile club. "We are only getting started. The boss has been here for a year and you have seen our form and progression. There are other levels we can get to. Hopefully we can push on and reach the Champions League spots -- it is the aim.

"From day one, since I have come in, I feel like I have done well," added Watkins. "I have had some highs and some lows, like any player at any club, but I feel like I am on a high now and it is only going to keep going up. I have got some targets I am going to hit: I am going to break [Gabriel Agbonlahor's] record with the goals, I want to win a trophy. I feel like I can do that here and that is why I have stayed."

Emery's impact on Watkins is undeniable with just two of his 15-goal haul last Premier League campaign coming before Gerrard left. Take into account an additional EFL Cup goal as well and that is 14 goals under the ex-Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain manager -- an individual turnaround which mirrored Villa's collective revival to reach what is now UEFA Champions League qualification pace.

"Ollie has started the season well," said England's Southgate. "He has hit a bit of scoring form in the last couple of weeks. He is in good form and obviously coming in on a high and he has been with us before so we know his character, his personality. He is a good guy around the group. Villa are playing well and he is playing for a team that are really well coached and they are in a good moment."

There have been suggestions lately that Villa are a little too reliant on Watkins but Jhon Duran is starting to find some form in front of goal while Moussa Diaby, Douglas Luis and Leon Bailey are also capable of scoring. If the Villans' No. 11 can make an impression against the Socceroos and the Azzurri, he can legitimately target a Euro 2024 squad role over the remainder of the season.