Fans are still talking about Jhon Duran’s screamer for Aston Villa following their stunning comeback win over Everton on Saturday.
The 20-year-old hit the headlines in the summer amid suggestions that he wanted to leave the club, but the transfer fee Monchi and Co wanted didn’t arrive.
Aston Villa fans are delighted Duran stayed because he has scored three winning goals from the bench already this season and is now pushing for a start under Unai Emery.
The Midlands side have won three out of their four Premier League matches ahead of their return to the Champions League – the only defeat to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
That goal from Duran, which seems to be a lost art in today’s tippy-tappy game, was one that took everyone’s breath away.
Ian Wright was one of them and he stated that Duran is coming off the bench for Aston Villa to ‘show you something’ and is delivering.
But the former striker admitted that he is ‘jealous’ of that goal from an Arsenal perspective because his team don’t score goals like that.
Not that Arsenal need it because they are unbeaten and they recently beat Tottenham in the north London derby at the weekend.
Either way, Wright was blown away by Duran’s Goal of the Season contender, as he told Premier League Productions (16/09/24 at 13:05 pm).
Jhon Duran’s goal for Aston Villa against Everton
“Then Duran, with that goal, I get jealous because Arsenal don’t score that goal,” said Wright. “We don’t play through and then not getting that goal.”
Kelly Cates then sarcastically states: “Yeah, life is so tough for Arsenal right now.”
Wright added: “Cool, you might see this goal (Hudson-Odoi v Liverpool). Saka would score this goal, which is something we love him doing – but then this one (Duran). Building up through the middle and then you know what, I am just going to hit it from 30 yards. We (Arsenal) don’t do that. Brilliant. Wow. It’s like ‘I am coming on to show you something’.”
Jhon Duran pushing to start for Aston Villa
Villa begin their Champions League adventure when they take on Young Boys on Tuesday, with Emery possibly rotating his squad.
This is where the high-level games are going to come in thick and fast, so the bench players, including Duran, will get their opportunity sooner rather than later.
READ MORE: How Aston Villa loanees Alex Moreno and Samuel Iling-Junior faired after Cesc Fabregas heartache
It’s just a case of when that rotation begins, as you suspect it would be ideal to do it against Young Boys, but there is also Wolves at the weekend.
Ollie Watkins has just got back into the goals, so you don’t really want to bench him now, with the possibility that Duran and Watkins can play together.
If anyone can make it work, then it’s Emery, as he also tried that combination on a few occasions last term.
