Morgan Rodgers scored and provided an assist in Aston Villa’s Istanbul final against Freiburg, winning the Europa League. Rodgers continues to have a great season, scoring 14 goals and providing 12 assists in all competitions. The 23-year-old has also established himself as a regular starter for England under manager Thomas Tuchel.
But Tuchel will have to make decisions at this summer’s World Cup, especially in attack. Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka are almost certain to start if they are eligible, but the left-winger and number 10 spots are less certain. Rodgers has featured on both sides for Villa this season, but has also played on the right wing for the Three Lions.
His main rivals on the left are likely to be Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon, provided both are called up to the 26-man squad heading to America. At center, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer’s spots in the team are uncertain. Tuchel is expected to announce the final selection on Friday.
Even if Foden and Palmer are called up, they will likely play second fiddle in midfield behind Jude Bellingham. The England midfielder is thought to be likely to start as number 10.
But Rodgers is a strong candidate to start him, especially if Tuchel opts for Rashford’s pace on the left. It’s clear the manager is a big fan of Villa’s attackers, as evidenced in previous games.
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“It’s hard to describe in words. We’ve worked hard for this. We’ve delivered and we’ve done it,” Rodgers said on Wednesday night after leading Villa to Europa League glory.
“It’s a great moment for the fans. It’s a great club. We’re going to go down in history. We’re really excited. We’re all really excited.”
“The manager has been pushing me to score easier goals and get into the box. I’m happy to be able to score with my toes and score.”
“It was a great opportunity for us to go and win a trophy. We all understood the task in front of us and knew we would get the job done. We got it done.”
