Alan Hutton: Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings now Aston Villa go-to centre-back partnership
We’re delighted to welcome former Aston Villa full-back Alan Hutton as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Villa Park…
Alan Hutton believes that Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa are now Steven Gerrard’s go-to centre-back pairing for Aston Villa moving forward.
The duo have both enjoyed an upturn in their form in recent weeks and played a big part in Villa’s 1-0 victory over Southampton last weekend (16 September).
Hutton now feels that despite Villa adding Jan Bednarek to their ranks on deadline day, Gerrard won’t change his current backline.
“I think it will be [Mings/Konsa] partnership moving forward,” Hutton exclusively told Villa News.
“They had a bit of a rocky time through last season and into the start of this season and when Diego Carlos came in there was pressure on him to be that rock a bit like Cameron Carter-Vickers is for Celtic.
“He was expected to come in and be that leader in the group and it’s not quite worked which is a shame but it’s up to Mings, Konsa and Bednarek who has come in to stand up and be counted.
“I think Mings has been excellent in these last couple of performances when you think he was up against Haaland, that was a personal battle for him and to show everybody that he can handle one of the top superstars in world football.
“That pairing [Mings and Konsa] has worked well and it’s good there haven’t been too many changes, you want your back four and your goalkeeper to be the same so they can build bonds with each other. I think they’re in a good place at the moment.”
Mings was not called up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad during the international break, which will allow for Gerrard to continue to build continuity on the training pitch over the next week.
Villa travel to Leeds United in their next Premier League fixture looking to repeat their 3-0 win at Elland Road from the 2021/22 season.
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