Aston Villa fans all say same thing about Ross Barkley after Leeds United draw
Ross Barkley’s cameo display against Leeds United has got Aston Villa fans talking.
Barkley has had a difficult season so far. He missed the start of the campaign due to a personal matter and then he was sidelined in December and January by a knee issue.
The former Chelsea man is yet to start a Premier League game this term for the Villa Park outfit, with the 32-year-old restricted to just 12 appearances in all competitions.
However, the ex-Luton Town player, who joined Unai Emery‘s team in the summer of 2024, made a telling impact off the bench against Leeds on Saturday.
Despite being on for less than 30 minutes in the 1-1 comeback draw, Barkley reportedly won more duels than any other player on the pitch. And that caught Villa fans’ attention.
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Ross Barkley ‘changed the game’ for Aston Villa
Up until recently, many believed that Barkley’s Villa contract would expire this summer. However, he himself said that was “not true” on X. In fact, his contract runs until 2027.
But on Saturday, the veteran showed he can still be a valuable asset for Emery for the rest of the season, particularly amid their midfield shortage.
Villa fans suggested Barkley “changed the game” against Leeds, with others calling his performance “immense”.
In addition to Barkley, winger Jadon Sancho was also praised for his impact during his cameo role.
One fan wrote on X: “Was hoping we’d start Barkley, I think Dougie [Luiz] is done to be honest. If he can’t do one defence-splitting pass, then there’s no point in him. Need a clear out in the summer, we’re a mid-table team without the injured players.”
However, as many Villa supporters alluded to, this was, arguably, a missed opportunity against lowly Leeds.
On paper, Villa have to be putting teams that are hovering above the relegation zone to the sword. The Whites have lost just twice in their last 14 league games but it seems that Villa’s season is in danger of petering out due to not putting in 90-minute performances.
And on Barkley, with the likes of Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans and John McGinn out injured, the former Everton man could get more game time in the final stretch of the season.
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Aston Villa’s injury woes could derail their season
Not all that long ago, Villa were in the thick of a Premier League title race and still had all to play for in the FA Cup and Europa League.
Since the turn of the year, however, they have lost midfielders Kamara, Tielemans, captain McGinn, and winger Alysson.
Full-back Matty Cash has also been sidelined but the Poland international did feature against Leeds on Saturday afternoon.
| Aston Villa’s injured midfield | Possible return date |
| Boubacar Kamara (knee) | This summer |
| John McGinn (knee) | Late March-early April |
| Youri Tielemans (ankle) | Mid to late April |
While Cash is back, not having that key midfield trio is a huge loss for Villa. Kamara is likely to miss the rest of the season, while McGinn and Tielemans may not return until April.
Villa are now out of the FA Cup and are seven points behind league leaders Arsenal, but are primed to make an assault on the Europa League crown.
If they want to win silverware, they can ill afford to lose any more key personnel in the coming weeks.
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