Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy was left seriously impressed by Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa who excelled on the international stage.
Aston Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa had to bide his time but he earned his opportunity to shine for England in their Euro 2024 quarter-final clash against Switzerland, and he didn’t disappoint.
Konsa was selected in the starting XI by Gareth Southgate after Marc Guehi was given a suspension following his yellow card against Slovakia.
The 26-year-old replicated the performances he put in for Villa; calmness personified in possession, physically imposing and strong in the tackle.
Danny Murphy was wowed by Aston Villa star Ezri Konsa
England booked their place in the Euro 2024 semi-finals against the Netherlands by winning a penalty shootout against Switzerland.
Southgate switched to a three-at-the-back system against the Swiss following Guehi’s suspension, with Konsa slotting into a left centre-back role.
He played 78 minutes of the clash before being substituted for Cole Palmer but he left many impressed with his display on the biggest stage of his career, including Danny Murphy.
The BBC Sport pundit said: “I mean this is an incredible performance from a player who’s hardly played in weeks.
“To be physically right, aggressive, up for it, quick, strong with his defending up against a difficult opponent in Embolo generally; patient as well, not too erratic at any time.
“I mean, to deal with that mentally as well, to come in, the pressure the lads are under, the criticism some of the players have faced, it’s like he didn’t even think about it. He just took his chance; every part of his game was impressive.”
Ezri Konsa was phenomenal for England vs Switzerland
Although Guehi has rarely put a foot wrong for England at this tournament, Konsa came in and was unfazed by what was a huge occasion.
This was by far the biggest game of his career and the colossal defender stood up to the task, displaying the defensive skillset he’d shown throughout the campaign.
As per Sofascore, Konsa was near flawless in every department, winning all four of his ground duels, completing 46 of his 47 passes (98%), making two tackles and seven clearances.
In terms of a defensive performance to match the magnitude of the game, Konsa turned up to the party and played his part in helping England reach a Euro 2024 semi-final.
The Three Lions were far from spectacular once more and had to rely on some Bukayo Saka brilliance to bring the game level in normal time.
However, Konsa was one of the few players who was outstanding on the pitch and he surely keeps his place for Wednesday’s semi-final clash.
