Aston Villa's Emi Buendia
Aston Villa's Emi Buendia (Image: Offside via Getty Images)
Unai Emery is ready to count on Emi Buendia in case Morgan Rogers requires a rest in this busy period of matches after he has started each of Aston Villa's 18 Premier League and Champions League games.
The 22-year-old also featured for the England Under-21s in the September and October international breaks, before earning a call-up to the senior team last month, where he made his Three Lions debut under interim manager Lee Carsley.
Rogers played a key role in helping Villa make their best start to a Premier League season for 25 years after they beat Fulham over six weeks ago. That victory in October was the last one which Emery's side have recorded in the league and Rogers' form has tailed off since then, possibly due to fatigue.
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Villa host Brentford this evening in hope of ending their eight-match winless run in all competitions, before they then face Southampton at Villa Park at the weekend. While Villa will play six games in 23 days, Emery was asked if he is concerned about Rogers' fitness and whether he can afford to rest him given that Jacob Ramsey remains sidelined for at least another two weeks.
"Morgan, his qualities are very important for us," Emery admitted. "He can play left side, a number 10 inside. Of course, after Ramsey’s injury, we need to add some players performing in the same way like Ramsey and Morgan.
"The next one is Emi Buendia. He is progressively getting better after being out for a long time injured. He is working every day. The process he is doing, he is close to being completely comfortable to play in everything.
"In case Morgan Rogers is getting or needing some change [rest], we have to try and use Emi Buendia and try to get from him the performances we need. We are trying it in the training sessions and we are giving him minutes in matches.
"We have ways to try and replace him [Rogers], but at the moment he can feel tired, but he has to rest and he has to sleep very well! He has to eat good food and he has to be ready."
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