AROUND THE GROUNDS: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SATURDAY’S ACTION
YOU would be misguided to think the unfailingly polite Unai Emery is a soft touch, even if he lacks the growl and glare of his top-four rival Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham. Midfielder Morgan Rogers, signed from Middlesbrough in January, offered a fascinating insight into Emery’s tough love after Villa doggedly overcame Wolves to stay in the box seat for automatic Champions League qualification.
‘He likes to mention I’m a Championship player a lot,’ said 21-year-old Rogers, somewhat surprisingly. ‘He’s trying to push me because he wants me to get to the next level and it’s about showing me I can. ‘That’s the kind of relationship we have. It’s motivational, not a negative thing. If I’m not 100 per cent at the level every day in training, he will be the first one to let me know.
‘I wouldn’t want to change that. He pushes
me and I feel I’m getting better.’
Rogers was excellent on Saturday evening in only his second Premier League start and part of a Villa side who shook off a slow start to score in each half through Moussa Diaby and defender Ezri Konsa. The latter is on cloud nine after making his England debut against Brazil in the recent international break. Villa remain three points above Tottenham but face a tricky trip to Manchester City next and await news on top scorer Ollie Watkins, who was withdrawn at half-time after feeling discomfort in
a hamstring. Emery hopes the medical advice not to take any risk will have averted a more significant injury. Wolves played well but lacked cutting edge without Hwang Hee-chan, Matheus Cunha and Pedro Neto. In their absence, 18-year-old Leon Chiwome was thrown in for his top-flight debut. Gary O’Neil’s coaching ability has caught the eye of Manchester United and he can use that as leverage to try to persuade Wolves to build a deeper squad next season.
‘Injuries have depleted us,’ he admitted.