Lucas Digne becoming indispensable after ‘great’ moment in Aston Villa win v Everton
Unai Emery will be buzzing after his Aston Villa side overcame to two-goal deficit to claim a 3-2 victory against Everton on Saturday (14 September).
While Villa’s game plan seemed to capitulate almost instantly, conceding to Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert-Lewin within the first 30 minutes, the win will taste even sweeter after the dramatic comeback.
Understandably, Jhon Duran’s winner has stolen the spotlight, having scored three goals in four substitute appearances, this time rocketing an effort in from the best part of 30 yards.
However, full-back Lucas Digne deserves a special mention for setting the Villans’ comeback into motion, assisting Ollie Watkins’ first goal of the five-goal thriller at Villa Park.
Speaking via BBC’s Match of the Day on Saturday (14 September, 11:55mins), Danny Murphy said: “Lucas Digne produces a great cross and it’s a great header from Ollie Watkins at the back stick, determined to get on the end of it for his first goal of the season.”
Lucas Digne deserves his flowers after impact in Aston Villa v Everton
Of course, much of the praise goes towards the goalscoring stars in the squad, but attacking full-backs, arguably, have a much harder job to do with both halves of the pitch to worry about.
Given that Digne launched eight crosses into the Toffees’ penalty area, completing 50 per cent of them, the Frenchman was bound to claim a goal contribution at some point [FotMob].
The 31-year-old created two big chances, completed 100 per cent of his attempted dribbles, won 100 per cent of his tackles, and 100 per cent of his aerial duels as well as entered into eight ground duels.
It is really no surprise to see the full-back being called back up to the France national team for the first time since June 2022, and Emery cannot afford to take him out of the starting XI anytime soon.
He only notched three Premier League assists last season, but with two already this term, Digne ranks in the top 76 percentile for assists and touches in the attacking penalty area [FBref].
Most surprisingly, despite his average height, the defender ranks in the top 90 percentile for aerial duels won among full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues.
In other Aston Villa news, Unai Emery has been handed a welcome boost as an injury timeline emerges on a 94% star at Villa Park.
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