Match Reaction: Morgan Rogers Reflects on Vital Away Everton Win
Aston Villa’s 1-0 victory at Everton marked a significant moment in their season, ending a dismal run of five consecutive Premier League away losses. The game was decided by Ollie Watkins’ winner, expertly set up by Morgan Rogers, who notched his fourth league assist of the season in a performance that showcased his growing influence.
Rogers, who was recently named Villa’s Player of the Month for December, played a vital role not only in attack but also in helping Villa maintain a defensive shape in the closing stages and navigate Everton’s late gasp efforts to find an equalise. Reflecting on the game, Rogers spoke about the difficulty of the match and the satisfaction of coming away with all three points.
Banishing the Away Curse
Rogers acknowledged the challenging nature of the fixture, praising Villa’s resilience in overcoming both Everton’s physicality and the atmosphere created by the home crowd, who were welcoming back David Moyes as manager.
“It was tough. A tough place to come. Big team, they’ve just got a new manager obviously,” reflected Rogers. “The way they play at home, the crowd, the atmosphere, everything about it, we knew it was going to be difficult.”
For Villa, the stakes were high. A poor run of form on the road had dampened their momentum, but the team showed determination to break the cycle.
“We knew we’d been on a poor run away from home as well, so we knew it was going to be tough. Those wins are probably a bit sweeter, the way it happened at the end, so yeah, it was nice.”
The Moyes Bounce
Squashing new manager bounces is something Villa are fast getting used to, and Rogers noted the team’s ability to adapt and grind out results in difficult circumstances.
“We’ve done it two games in a row now, with new managers,” he said. “It’s tough. It’s what football’s about, these different things you have to overcome.”
Everton despite their league position over the past two seasons have had a decent defensive record and are well-organised, meaning they tend to keep themselves in games. Villa though managed to weather any storm that came their way, especially later on in the game.
“I thought we handled it pretty well, the majority of the game,” concluded, Rogers. “I thought we defended incredibly well and probably deserved the win in the end, so we’re really happy.”
Morgan Rogers: December’s Star Performer
Rogers’ assist at Goodison Park capped off what has been an impressive period for the 21-year-old. His three goals and one assist in eight appearances during December earned him the Aston Villa Player of the Month award, as voted by supporters. With six goals and four assists already this season in the league, Rogers is becoming an essential contributor in Unai Emery’s side, combining flair, ball carrying, with a hard-working mentality.
The good news is there’s plenty more to come from the young England international this season and no doubt he’ll be relishing Villa’s upcoming further adventures in the Champions League.
UTV
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