Aston Villa secured a deserved three points over ten-men Fulham to move into the Champions League places on Saturday.
Pau Torres’ error led to Fulham’s opening goal, but thereafter, Unai Emery watched his team produce another win after falling behind.
Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins and an own goal from Issa Diop was enough for Aston Villa to move into fourth place, three points ahead of sixth-placed Chelsea, who travel to Anfield on Sunday to take on Liverpool.
The Midlands side have conceded the first goal on five occasions this term, winning four and picking up a point at Ipswich Town.
Villa conceding goals is affecting Emi Martinez – they have shipped ten goals in eight matches, but it’s the power in attack that is getting them home and papering over the cracks.
That was proven at Craven Cottage, as Youri Tielemans ran the show for Villa, with the likes of Rogers and Watkins benefiting by being able to play further up the pitch and cause havoc in the final third.
One man who has been hot topic ever since the first ball of the new season was kicked is Rogers, who only joined the club last January from Championship side Middlesbrough, but is already a regular first-team starter.
The 22-year-old took to Instagram to react to his latest goal, with current and ex-teammates lauding him in the comments section.
Ex-Villa winger Moussa Diaby and Jhon Duran were just some of the players to drop a message.
Moussa Diaby and Jhon Duran react as Morgan Rogers helps Aston Villa beat Fulham
Rogers wrote on IG: “Back to business. 3 in the capital.”
With Duran calling him a ‘star boy’, Diaby sending cold-faced emojis, Hayden Hackney adding that the attacking midfielder is ‘the best’ and Youri Tielemans posting a flexed muscle and fire emoji.
Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap also added by telling Rogers that he is ‘on fire’, whilst left-back Ian Maatsen added ‘told ya’.
Morgan Rogers’ goal involvements for the 2024/25 Premier League season
Rogers was being compared to Jude Bellingham at the start of the season, but the only issue is that he didn’t have a goal or assist to his name.
That lack of end product was missing until Rogers scored away at Ipswich Town in September and now the signs are even more positive.
| Premier League | 8 apps | 2 goals | 2 assists | 2 yellow cards | 687′ minutes | |||
| UEFA Champions League | 2 | – | – | – | 178′ |
That’s two goals and two assists from Rogers’ opening eight Premier League matches, with the luck now turning his way and Emery telling the BBC that he will keeping pushing the attacker.
Villa’s equalising goal, minutes after Raul Jiminez had opened the scoring, came via a huge deflection following Rogers’ driving run and shot from outside of the box.
