Troy Deeney shares ‘only thing’ he can agree with Thomas Tuchel on, it’s about Morgan Rogers
Troy Deeney has finally agreed with England manager Thomas Tuchel over Morgan Rogers.
Rogers’ fine performance in Aston Villa’s 2-1 win over Leeds included two brilliant goals to turn the match around for Unai Emery’s side on Sunday.
His smart finish at the near post was followed by a dipping free-kick that swerved past goalkeeper Lucas Perri, and it was enough for Villa to claim all three points at Elland Road.
Rogers won the last PFA Young Premier League Player of the Season award, and his stellar performances earned him a first England call-up in November 2024.
England manager Tuchel has relied on Rogers during the recent international breaks, and Deeney was full of praise for him after the Leeds match.
Troy Deeney raves about Morgan Rogers after Leeds performance
As fourth-placed Aston Villa recover from their poor start to the season, their players are hoping that good performances at club level earn them consistent minutes on international duty.
Rogers’ slow start to the season led to doubts over his potential place in the England squad, but he has shown in recent weeks that he is far too talented to leave behind.
Deeney named Rogers in his Premier Team of the Week, and said: “Maybe this is the only thing that I agree with Thomas Tuchel on – he has got to a point now where it’s going to be very difficult to drop Morgan Rogers.
“I didn’t think he had a great start to the season. I think he was a little bit entitled and thought he maybe could have got a move to Chelsea, and probably wanted that, but he seems to have settled down.
“Two great goals, obviously, against Leeds dragged his team from behind. He was the difference maker.”
| Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 2023-24 | 16 | 3 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 54 | 14 | 13 |
| 2025-26 | 17 | 3 | 2 |
His meteoric rise to becoming one of England’s most talented players has been facilitated by the faith Emery placed in him, and this has led to Rogers renewing his Aston Villa contract on 10 November.
The 2026 World Cup is on the horizon, and he looks to be a shoo-in for Tuchel’s final squad, starting over Jude Bellingham in recent months.
Having scored his first international goal in England’s 3-0 friendly win over Wales in October, it’s clear that there is a lot more to come from him in a Three Lions shirt.
England’s World Cup qualifying campaign was faultless, winning every match without conceding to book their spot in next year’s tournament.
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What has Thomas Tuchel previously said about Morgan Rogers?
Tuchel is a huge admirer of Rogers and has touted him to compete for the number 10 spot with Real Madrid’s Bellingham.
Speaking ahead of England’s 2-0 win over Serbia on 13 November, he said: “Rather than finding the best players a position to just have them on the field, it’s maybe better to put everyone in their best position and have a competition. At the moment, the competition is between the two of them.”
The 23-year-old was also lauded after the win over Wales, with Tuchel adding, “Rogers was excellent, like the whole team, he’s very humble, he’s very physical. He has the ability to score and to assist.”
His performance versus Leeds encapsulates all the quality he has at his feet, and his season can only go upwards from here.
Hopefully, it ends with World Cup success.
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