Emery could replace Tielemans with the Aston Villa star for £16m.
Aston Villa are hoping to put their 4-0 Premier League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on hold for tonight’s clash with Ajax.
Unai Emery’s side left Amsterdam with a 0-0 draw last week, so a win would see them advance to the quarter-finals of the European Conference League. The loss to Spurs halted the momentum the Midlands side had built and left some players disappointed to say the least.
As a result, Emery may be forced to make changes to players such as Youri Tielemans, and there is a good chance that he will be left out of the starting lineup when they face the Dutch giants. Youri Tielemans’ performance in numbers against Spurs
The Spaniards adopted a 3-5-2 formation, with Tielemans positioned to the left of the three-man midfield.
However, the Belgian failed to make an impression. He completed just seven passes on the pitch, took 21 touches, had no shots on target and did not attempt a dribble. The former Leicester City midfielder barely functioned and was replaced in the 58th minute by Moussa Diaby.
The change in formation has not helped the team, with Emery likely to use a 4-2-3-1 system against Ajax tonight. As a result, Tielemans could sit on the bench, with the former Paris Saint-Germain manager calling for Morgan Rogers to start at left-back.
Aston Villa star replaces Youri Tielemans
Rodgers joined the club from Middlesbrough in the January transfer window for a fee that could reach £16m as Emery strengthens his attacking options in the final months of the season. Clearly charmed by Rodgers’ efficiency in the final third, the 21-year-old scored seven goals and provided nine assists for Boro before moving to the Premier League.
He has only made four appearances for Villa so far, but looked sharp in last week’s first leg against Ajax. The player, whom former manager Michael Appleton described as an “extraordinary” dynamo, was a force for the Ajax defense, completing five of his six dribble attempts on the pitch and firing wide of the goal. Brought the match. .
Defensively, the youngster didn’t mind either, winning seven of the 10 ground fights he took part in and making one tackle. This maturity of not giving in to violence without the ball may have led to his release in the second leg.
Morgan-Rogers-Aston-Villa-Premier League
Rodgers remained on the bench in the defeat against Spurs, meaning he is fresh and ready to face the Eredivisie. It may not be an easy task, but Villa have beaten Manchester City, Arsenal and Spurs this season, so they could rival any of his contemporaries.
Emery will no doubt be working with his starting XI for tonight’s game, but given his solid performance last Thursday, Rodgers is certain to be out at the opening whistle at Villa Park tonight.
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