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Thomas Hitzlsperger shares which Aston Villa player has ‘really stood out’ for him this season
Aston Villa are enjoying a decent season under Unai Emery as they remain in the picture for the Premier League’s top four and the Champions League last 16.
The Villans currently sit eighth in the Premier League table, just four points adrift of the top four.
Aston Villa are also guaranteed a play-off place for the right to play in the next round of the Champions League.
The Villans need to beat Celtic and hope that results above them go their way to qualify automatically for the last 16.
Villa cult hero Thomas Hitzlsperger has now shared which of the team’s players has really stood out for him this season.
Thomas Hitzlsperger hails Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers
Hitzlsperger, writing on , named four Villa players who have impressed him in wake of Douglas Luiz leaving for Juventus.
He lauded Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana and Youri Tielemans, but saved his biggest compliments for Morgan Rogers.
“After Douglas Luiz left for Juventus in the summer, at the beginning of the season I was wondering what would happen in central midfield,” wrote Hitzlsperger.
“But Boubacar Kamara has come back from injury and done well, just like Amadou Onana did when he joined – we did not know how he would fit in, but he has delivered straight away.
“There is a good balance there with Youri Tielemans, who has their work-rate but combines it with his technical ability and vision to have an impact in most games.
“They have all impressed me, but Morgan Rogers has really stood out. He was not at his best against West Ham but, overall this season, he has been one of Villa’s most consistent players.
“Like Tielemans he is always available to receive the ball, has the courage to play in tight areas and is physically strong. Sometimes he gets eye-catching results.”
Pep Guardiola shares ‘the only reason’ why Manchester City actually sold Morgan Rogers
Manchester City’s loss has been Villa’s gain when it comes to Rogers, who has been a revelation in claret and blue.
In December, Rogers haunted his former club with a masterclass in Villa’s 2-1 victory against the reigning Premier League champions.
After the game, Pep Guardiola explained why Man City sold Rogers.
He said: “Do you know what happened? There are some teams that won the treble, won the quadruple [four trophies in a season in 2019], sometimes its the right tempo, its the right time, can give the chance.
“Everybody knows how good Morgan [Rogers] is and a lot of players who are loaned or sold by the club they were at that age where we have the players that we had to allow us to create the more successful eight years at our club.
“In that moment, when they arrive, they are two or three years younger and in that moment, they are Kevin [De Bruyne] in their prime and David Silva and Bernardo [Silva] and Riyad [Mahrez] and Leroy [Sane] and Raheem [Sterling] and sometimes, it’s difficult and it’s the only reason why.”
However, Guardiola admitted that a youngster like Rogers would be kept if he was in the current Man City side.
“In this situation right now, these type of players will be with us, that’s obvious but it in the right moment, that’s all what happened,” he said.
“Happy for him because he’s a lovely guy and exploded, I think last season, this season, is a really, really top-class player and England have another exceptional player.”