Micah Richards wowed by ‘wonderful’ Aston Villa footage on MOTD v Leicester
Ross Barkley’s opening goal for Aston Villa against Leicester City on Saturday was “wonderful”, Micah Richards has said.
Speaking on Match of the Day (4 January), Richards marvelled over Barkley’s “superb technique” as he brought the ball down from Jannik Vestergaard’s clearing header to rifle home from the edge of the box.
Making just his a Premier League start of the campaign in an eventual 2-1 win for Unai Emery’s side at Villa Park, Barkley’s goal and overall display could see him become a regular fixture in the Lions’ midfield.
Richards said: “Just look at the acres of space Ross Barkley is in here – it comes out to Vestergaard, and then this is a wonderful finish from Barkley, it really is.
“Superb technique, you see it here on another angle; great touch and really good finish from him.”
Ross Barkley stakes starting claim for Aston Villa v Leicester
Signed on a free transfer from Luton last summer, it’s hardly surprising that Barkley has been made to bide his time on the bench for much of the campaign given the depth of options in Villa’s midfield.
Youri Tielemans’ displays last season made him close to undroppable, while Amadou Onana cost the Villans £50million in the summer and John McGinn is a must-pick as Emery’s captain in claret and blue.
However, an injury to the latter, as reported by journalist John Townley, could see McGinn miss the next five weeks’ worth of fixtures, opening the door for Barkley to start and influence matches regularly.
The 31-year-old is now a different player to the one who first pitched up at Villa Park as an out-and-out attacking midfielder on loan from Chelsea in 2020/21, yet has already beaten that season’s goal tally.
Transformed into a more defensive-minded runner at Kenilworth Road last term, Barkley is now well-placed to both earn and keep his position in Emery’s side as Villa now look to climb up the table.
In other Aston Villa news, Darren Bent discussed the prospects of one of the Lions’ favourite sons returning to Bodymoor Heath.
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