- Aston Villa were held to a 1-1 draw by Nottingham Forest earlier today
- After the game, Unai Emery gave a clear message regarding the speculation surrounding Morgan Rogers’ future at the club
- Rogers is likely to attract a lot of interest this summer
Morgan Rogers played a key role in Aston Villa’s opener against Nottingham Forest earlier today. His low-driven cross struck Murillo before beating Matz Sels.
In the last couple of months, there has been growing speculation surrounding his future at Villa Park, with Arsenal and Chelsea among the many clubs heavily interested in his signature.
His performances have dropped since the turn of the year, and today’s match meant he has now gone seven Premier League appearances without a goal or an assist.
Many supporters believe his dip in form has been due to his mind being on a potential summer move. However, in a post-match interview, Unai Emery insisted the 23-year-old is fully focused.
“He is focused. He is here with us for two years, and he is being consistent. He is playing consistently and demanding. As well, he knows how he is getting his progress and how the team needs him playing in different positions.
“He is versatile, playing on the left or in the number 10 as a second striker. He can play good or bad on the left side, or play good or bad in the middle or on the right.
“He, like Watkins, is always focusing on his task. Even not playing brilliantly, he is doing his task. I changed him because Buendia is performing well, and he could respond like he did when we needed him off the bench.”
Is he starting to get fatigued?
Rogers has made a staggering 116 appearances since his move to Birmingham in January 2024. This season, he has started all 32 games in the Premier League and is very rarely substituted for a rest. His consistency to play week in, week out is remarkable, but perhaps it’s beginning to take its toll on him.
Speaking on Rogers season and whether he is feeling fatigued, Emery said, during his post match press conference “He’s doing a fantastic season. He is part of everything offensively because of his quality and attitude. Sometimes he needs some rest because he is playing and playing and playing.
“He is able to lay three matches in a row in one week. He is able to respond at the level we are, because he is doing it. Sometimes he is being clinical or not, or more tired in other matches.
“Today, I changed him, thinking we needed extra legs through Buendia. I am so happy with how we got the performance on the left side for 90 minutes in the game plan, with Morgan and Buendia. We threatened the opponent from the left side, with Lucas and Morgan, and Buendia and Maatsen.”
Rogers is bound to be one of the talking points in the summer. Securing Champions League football will put Villa in a strong position to keep him, but it won’t stop other teams knocking on his door. At a defining time in the club’s future, this decision will be a decisive one.
