Unai Emery refuses to rule out return of key Aston Villa player vs Crystal Palace

Unai Emery says there's a chance Morgan Rogers can play against Crystal Palace.Unai Emery says there's a chance Morgan Rogers can play against Crystal Palace.
Unai Emery says there's a chance Morgan Rogers can play against Crystal Palace. | Getty Images
Unai Emery is hopeful Morgan Rogers can be available for Aston Villa’s last Premier League fixture of the season, away at Crystal Palace.

Rogers missed the Villans’ dramatic 3-3 draw against Liverpool on Monday evening after sustaining a hamstring injury away at Brighton & Hove Albion the weekend before. The winter signing wasn’t the only omission as Matty Cash picked up a calf injury in training.

There was a positive return for Youri Tielemans as the Belgium international scored Villa’s first against Liverpool, powering home from the edge of the area to level the scoring at 1-1. Nicolo Zaniolo was back off the bench but the Italian re-injured himself just minutes after entering the field.

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Emiliano Buendia, Tyrone Mings and Jacob Ramsey remain out with their long-term problems but Alex Moreno will be back in contention for the trip to Selhurst Park. Emery hopes Rogers can join Moreno but a lot has to go right for that to become a reality.

Looking at the bigger injury picture, Emery said: “Yesterday was Cash and at the beginning of the season we had Mings and Buendia. Jacob Ramsey too. We have players to be ready to help. Nicolo is hopefully not a lot because he has the Euro’s as well which is very important for him.”

When asked for a follow-up on Rogers, Emery said: “Today was impossible for him to be available. Maybe for Sunday with some days to come he can try to be available, but I don’t know exactly.”

Morgan Rogers already looks worthy of his £15 million price tag.Morgan Rogers already looks worthy of his £15 million price tag.
Morgan Rogers already looks worthy of his £15 million price tag. | Getty Images

Villa would greatly benefit even if Rogers can make the bench as he has been a key player since joining from Middlesbrough. Formerly of Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion, the versatile forward’s directness, physicality and pace offer a different dimension to attacks.

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The final decision might be influenced as soon as Tuesday night, depending on Tottenham Hotspur’s result against Man City. If Spurs fail to win, Villa are guaranteed Champions League qualification and it’s less likely Emery would take any risks with Rogers. If Tottenham claim all three points, Rogers’ presence will undoubtedly be desired.

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