Young Lions Watch: Aston Villa starlets involved as England make it three wins from three in Under-19s Euros
Aston Villa were represented in England Under-19s narrow win over Israel over the weekend, with Carney Chukwuemeka impressing yet again.
Manchester City star Liam Delap bagged the opener in just the sixth minute, and this was enough for Ian Foster’s side to maintain their perfect record.
Chukwuemeka captained the Under-19s for the second time, though he was substituted 15 minutes from time.
He was replaced by fellow Villa star Aaron Ramsey, though Tim Iroegbunam sat out of the win and never came off the bench.
It was a quieter night for Villa’s youngsters, with this being the first time this tournament that a Villa player was not involved in a goal.
They did come close, however, with Sam Isling-Junior putting a shot just wide of the post after being set up by Chukwuemeka.
Building blocks are in place
While Villa’s stars failed to get on the scoresheet, it has still been a fantastic tournament so far for Villa.
Chukwuemeka in particular has emerged as a true leader for England, reflected in him being given the armband for the Israel victory.
To say he has been crucial for Foster’s side would be an understatement, with the midfield maestro contributing more than half of their goals during the groups.
England rotated the squad and the system for their group closer, with Chukwuemeka playing behind a front three instead of behind two strikers.
This lifted the creative burden on him as England just sought to see the game out and conserve themselves for the semi-finals.
If Chukwuemeka continues his strong form into the knockouts, the hype surrounding him will hit the stratosphere.
He is already linked with moves to Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund, with TalkSport reporting on Sunday (26 June) that Arsenal and Liverpool were now chasing him.
While all of the talk will naturally be surrounding Chukwuemeka, Ramsey has also impressed in his limited minutes while Iroegbunam has had a steady tournament.
If Villa can keep hold of Chukwuemeka and find senior football for Ramsey and Iroegbunam, their midfield could be set for years to come.
In other Aston Villa news, we ranked the best three modern Aston Villa managers that Steven Gerrard can look up to.