Aston Villa’s strong run of form continued with an impressive 2-1 victory over Manchester City which sees the Midlands side edge closer to the Champions League places in the Premier League table.
Unai Emery’s side managed to shake off their loss to Nottingham Forest last weekend and this win against the champions ensures the club go into Christmas in a positive mood.
unai emery
Every player on the pitch contributed well during the clash, but it was Morgan Rogers who once again stole the show in the Midlands, delivering yet another stunning performance.
Morgan Rogers shone against Man City
The Englishman is going from strength to strength this season, starring either out wide or as a number ten in Emery’s tactical system.
Against City, Rogers started on the left wing, and it didn’t take him long to start causing problems for Rico Lewis on that side.
The winger attempted five dribbles, succeeding with three, managed two key passes, and created a big chance. Rogers even registered a total of four shots during the match, showcasing his attacking talents.
The youngster provided the assist for Jhon Duran’s opener, before hitting the post after 60 minutes, coming so close to doubling their advantage.
Five minutes later, he had his goal. John McGinn found the attacking midfielder in the penalty area who took the pass and slotted home a low shot into the goal, giving Villa an unassailable two-goal lead.
Key statistics - Aston Villa vs Man City
Metric
Tackles
Ground duels won
Accurate passes
Key passes
Shots on target
Via Sofascore
He was subbed off before the end to a standing ovation from the home crowd, and it is clear that Rogers is one of Emery’s most important players.
While Rogers was excellent against City, Boubacar Kamara did most of the dirty work in the heart of the midfield, which enabled Villa to tick during the contest, and it appears as though he has returned from injury an even better player than before.
Boubacar Kamara’s stats vs Man City
The Frenchman has looked like a new signing for the club since returning to the first team a few weeks ago, forming a solid partnership alongside Amadou Onana.
Against City, Kamara ran the show. During the game, the midfielder took 69 touches, completed an impressive 90% of his passes, and delivered an accurate long ball.
Boubacar-Kamara-1
It was his defensive actions that were particularly solid, however. Kamara was tenacious in the tackle, winning seven of his 11 ground duels, while he also made six tackles in total and lost possession just six times throughout the 90 minutes.
This mature display was vital in Villa securing all three points in the Midlands on Saturday afternoon and journalist Jacob Tanswell even lauded him for being “strong” alongside Onana.
It was a wonderful performance as a collective unit, but with Rogers' brilliance and Kamara’s tenacity in the middle of the pitch, it was clear that these two were the catalysts to the club securing all three points a few days before Christmas, that’s for sure.
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He's enjoying an excellent season.