Unai Emery has Morgan Rogers dilemma ahead of Aston Villa v Brentford
Unai Emery could drop Morgan Rogers from the Aston Villa starting XI after a downturn in form since signing a new contract.
The England international penned a fresh deal with the Villans on 19 November which will keep him in B6 until 2030, a move met with plenty of excitement from supporters.
Things haven’t exactly been rosy since this announcement and the 22-year-old’s form hasn’t been as positive as it was in the opening weeks of the season.
As a result, Emery has to decide whether to drop the versatile attacking midfielder from his side to afford him a rest during a busy festive period.
Unai Emery could drop Morgan Rogers for Aston Villa
There is no doubt that the ex-Manchester City youngster was hot property in the early stages of the season, with his performance against Arsenal being a shining light.
Against the Gunners, the Villa man completed five dribbles across his 48 touches, while also winning eight duels on the day [FotMob] in a memorable afternoon’s work.
Despite only getting on the scoresheet three times this season, his performances warranted praise, such as when he grabbed two assists in a 3-2 win against Wolves.
This hasn’t been the case in recent weeks since signing his new long-term contract, though, with certain elements of his game coming into question.
This was shown against Chelsea as he managed just one dribble, completed across his 22 touches, while also winning just 42 per cent of his duels [Sofascore] – way below his best.
His performance at Stamford Bridge was echoed by a similar showing against Crystal Palace, where he had just 12 per cent of his 51 touches in the opposition area and that is just not good enough.
A rest from the start against Brentford could prove to be beneficial in the hope of securing much-needed wins against the Bees and Southampton.
In other Aston Villa news, scouts have been sent to watch a South American starlet amid Premier League interest.
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