Forget Watkins & Rogers: 9/10 star is becoming Aston Villa's best player
da aviator aposta： Aston Villa kept their Champions League ambitions intact with an impressive 4-1 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday evening in the Premier League.
da dobrowin： The two clubs are both vying for a top-five finish and with it a spot in Europe’s top table next term. Unai Emery’s side defeated PSG in midweek, but this performance will also bolster their confidence ahead of the final few games of the campaign.
Ollie Watkins opened the scoring in the first minute before Fabian Schar equalised for Newcastle.
The second half was all Villa, however, as Ian Maatsen, an own goal by Dan Burn and an effort from Amadou Onana sealed all three points.
The majority of the starting XI performed wonderfully well, but it was Watkins and Morgan Rogers who powered the club to yet another league win.
How Watkins and Rogers performed against Newcastle
Watkins set Villa on their way to all three points after slotting home a deflected opener against the Magpies.
The Englishman also grabbed an assist, registered five total shots and made two key passes before he was subbed off in the 82nd minute.
He is returning to the form of last season and Rogers is someone who is helping him flourish. The attacking midfielder has enjoyed a fine season, having scored 14 goals and recorded 12 assists in all competitions.
Aston Villa vs Newcastle – Key Statistics
Metric
Highest-Ranked
Accurate passes
Youri Tielemans (71)
Key passes
Marco Asensio (5)
Ground duels won
Youri Tielemans (8)
Tackles
Ian Maatsen (6)
Shots on target
Morgan Rogers (3)
Via Sofascore
Against the Toon, Rogers grabbed another assist, completed 90% of his passes, made two key passes and succeeded with all three of his dribble attempts.
When the pair are playing at this high standard, nothing can stop Villa, that’s for sure. There is one player in the squad who has been the fulcrum which makes everything tick – Youri Tielemans.
The 9/10 star who's becoming Aston Villa’s best player
The Belgian international has been the standout performer for the club this season, showcasing his talents at the highest level.
Five goal contributions in 12 Champions League games proves that the midfielder has been sublime in the competition. Add in another eight goal involvements in the Premier League and Emery has a player who could be in high demand this summer.
Content creator Mark Goldbridge described Tielemans as “Villa’s player of the season this year” following his display on Saturday evening, and it is easy to see why.
Operating in a deep-lying midfield role, the former Leicester City star completed 88% of his passes, took 98 touches, won 11 of his 16 total duels contested and even made three key passes throughout the match – including the assist for Watkins’ opener.
Alongside Boubacar Kamara, Tielemans dominated proceedings and his performance was key in Rogers and Watkins delivering in the final third yet again. Indeed, journalist John Townley awarded the 27-year-old a match rating of 9/10 for his stunning display.
Emery has started the midfielder in every single Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League match this season, highlighting his importance to the club.
Should Villa qualify for Europe’s premier club competition next season while also winning the FA Cup, they will have Tielemans to thank.
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