Aston Villa's loan signing Harvey Elliott faces an uncertain future at the club as his lack of playing time continues, while teammate Morgan Rogers has emerged as an unexpected hero following his match-winning performance against Leeds United.
Elliott's Villa Struggles Deepen
The Liverpool loanee's situation at Villa Park has reached a concerning point, with the midfielder not featuring in Premier League action for eight consecutive weeks. Elliott's limited appearances have significant financial implications, as he has made five of the ten appearances required to trigger a mandatory £35 million permanent transfer.
Manager Unai Emery appears to be deliberately managing the 22-year-old's game time to avoid activating the compulsory purchase clause. The Spaniard's reservations about Elliott fitting his long-term plans were highlighted when the player was overlooked for an 18-year-old prospect on the bench during the recent Leeds fixture.
If the current pattern continues, Elliott could return to Liverpool when the loan agreement concludes in January, making him available for Jurgen Klopp's side during the second half of the season.
Rogers' Remarkable Resurgence
In stark contrast to Elliott's struggles, Morgan Rogers has silenced his early-season critics with a career-defining performance against Leeds United. The forward, who previously faced sarcastic applause from sections of the Villa support, scored both goals in Villa's crucial 2-1 victory, securing his first-ever Premier League brace.
Rogers' second goal, a spectacular dipping free-kick, particularly impressed teammate Donyell Malen, who admitted: "I didn't even know he had that quality". The strike mirrored a recent set-piece goal from fellow Villan Emi Buendía, demonstrating Rogers' developing dead-ball expertise.
Malen himself made a significant impact from the bench, providing the assist for Rogers' opening goal just two minutes after his half-time introduction.
Villa's European Form Continues
Unai Emery's side have established themselves as one of Europe's most in-form teams, having won nine of their last eleven matches across all competitions. Their Premier League form is equally impressive, with 18 points taken from the available 21 in recent fixtures.
The victory against Leeds propelled Villa into fourth position in the table, sitting just two points behind third-placed Chelsea. Emery emphasised the importance of the three points to his squad beforehand, stressing the critical nature of breaking into the top four.
With a congested schedule featuring six games in seventeen days, Villa's largely injury-free squad provides Emery with valuable rotation options. Only Tyrone Mings remains sidelined with a prolonged absence, giving the manager flexibility during this demanding period.
Malen highlighted the positive atmosphere within the camp, noting the entire squad is "having fun" due to the high performance levels and energy at the training ground. When questioned about challenging Arsenal, the forward maintained focus on the immediate future, stating the team must continue taking things "game by game" to maintain their impressive winning streak.
