Aston Villa manager Unai Emery said it was Ollie Watkins’ responsibility to explain his absence from Sunday’s 4-0 Premier League thrashing at Brighton.
Villa lined up without a recognised striker at the Amex Stadium amid reports England international Watkins is pushing for a move to Al Hilal.
Europa League champions Villa have rejected four bids from the Saudi Pro League club and a transfer agreement is not currently close.
“This question is for him. I can’t answer. I can answer only with my silence,” said Emery when asked about Watkins’ omission.
Asked if the 30-year-old had refused to play, Emery replied: “I think you can call him, you can call his agent, and he can respond. It’s not my responsibility.”
Watkins has scored 108 times in 278 appearances for Villa since joining from Brentford in 2020, including nine goals in 11 games against Brighton.
Without him, Villa were 4-0 down inside 31 minutes following Victor Lindelof’s own goal, a close-range finish from Maxim De Cuyper and Jack Hinshelwood’s quickfire double.
Midfielder Joao Gomes – a summer signing from Wolves – was sent off on his league debut five minutes shy of half-time for kicking out at Georginio Rutter to add to the visitors’ woes on a humiliating afternoon.
Villa have endured a summer exodus since winning the Europa League and qualifying for the Champions League through a fourth-placed finish.
Key trio Ezri Konsa, Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers have all been sold, while there is ongoing talk goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Watkins will join them.
Emery, who selected Emiliano Buendia, Ross Barkley and full debutant George Hemmings as his attacking options on the south coast, said: “We made some mistakes, they scored the goals and in 25 minutes we lost everything. Emotionally as well a little bit we lost.
“We lost a very important three points, but it’s something the last three years – at the beginning until the transfer window finishes – we had as well some problems, like we are having now.
“The players that are here today, they are keeping the mentality I want for the team – to be always not complaining and not blaming and trying to be passionate as well, even with a bad result like today.”
Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler said: “The first five, six, seven minutes we struggled controlling the game, Villa started strong, they had the ball, they had two or three shots.
“But then afterwards we got the control back by good intensity against the ball, by winning some personal duels, by forcing them to do mistakes and like this the first goal happens.
“And then afterwards we were also better in possession, better structure, better positioning, we scored some nice goals. Of course the red card was another game changer.
“And then we played a mature second half because it’s not that easy when you’re one man up to find a good balance between keeping the ball, attacking the box, but don’t give away too many chances for Villa.”
