23/12/2025

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Rogers stars U NAI EMERY insists Aston Villa will not win the Premier League, but the Spaniard’s ecstatic celebration of Morgan Rogers’ decisive strike

five matches. “Of course we are being consistent in more or less three years, and getting into European positions, but we must con tinue to be humble,” Emery said. “Understanding how we can get points like we did. We want to keep the same level by being intelligent, competi tive, consistent and demanding.” When Villa return to action after Christmas Day, they face two trips to London that will serve as defining moments in their season. They meet fourth-placed Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Dec 27 before a seis mic clash with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium three days later. If Villa are to maintain their title bid, Emery will have to coax more eye-catch ing performances from Rogers, whose first-half opener was a sublime curler into the top corner from just inside the area. “The manager’s a genius. He knows what he is doing and knows how to get out of situations,” Rogers said. “The enthusiasm and the way he is gets through to us, then we have that belief and that buzz to our perform ances. “That is what he tries to do and we try and take it on board. It’s a perfect combi nation.” Emery returned the compliment, saying: “He’s a fantastic guy. A fantastic player. Because he loves football. He loves work.” But Emery revealed he had given Rogers a reality check at the interval in a bid to raise his game to even greater heights. “At halftime I was not happy with him because I am ambitious myself. He scored a good goal but he was not per forming very well,” he said. “We spoke about individually increasing our focus to get better and in the second half we did much better.” As Rogers knows better than most, Emery’s relentless quest for perfection is the driving force behind Villa’s bid for an incredible title triumph. – AFP No jacket required for Emery as Villa dream of title glory

against Manchester United revealed his true feelings about their surprise title charge. Usually a composed figure on the touchline, Emery put his emotions on display for all to see after Rogers pro duced his second fine finish of the after noon to clinch a pulsating 2-1 win at Villa Park yesterday. The England midfielder’s 57th-min ute goal prompted Emery to roar in delight before ripping off his jacket and hurling it into the air. It was a fascinating insight into Emery’s mindset in the midst of Villa’s remarkable 10-match winning run in all competitions. Villa sit third in the Premier League, just three points adrift of leaders Arsenal and one behind second-placed Manchester City as they chase a first English title since 1981. As he has in the past when Villa have flirted with title contention, Emery pre ferred to play the underdog, claiming his team cannot overhaul clubs of Arsenal and City’s experience and quality despite beating them both at home already this season. “We are not contender,” Emery said. “Of course we beat Arsenal and Manchester City here, but they have massive things tactically with players on a high level. “We have as well but to be a con tender in front of them is not our reality.” But Emery’s coy approach to Villa’s growing title momentum can’t obscure the facts. Villa are on their best winning run in all competitions since 1914, when they secured 11 successive victories. They have won seven consecutive top-flight matches for the first time since finishing second under Graham Taylor in 1989/90. Emery has turned Villa Park into a fortress, with just one home league defeat in 2025, fewer than any other team. Villa’s rise into the title race is even more impressive as it comes after their worst start to a league campaign for 28 years, featuring just two points and one goal scored in their opening

Manchester United’s Shea Lacey (right) battles with Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers during their English Premier League match at Villa Park in Birmingham yesterday. – AFPPIC

Three talking points from the Premier League weekend

ARSENAL held off Manchester City to stay top of the Premier League at Christmas courtesy of a Viktor Gyokeres penalty in the 1-0 win at Everton. Liverpool cashed in on nine-man Tottenham’s lack of composure to extend their revival in the absence of Mohamed Salah. Bottom of the table Wolves are set ting unwanted records after a 10th straight league defeat against Brentford. Here are the three talking points from the weekend’s action:

do in this league and that means that the team is constantly there.” Tottenham fury does Frank no favours Tottenham could not be accused of a lack of fight to save their under pressure manager. But indiscipline was their downfall as another home defeat, 2-1 against Liverpool on Saturday, left the increas ingly beleaguered Thomas Frank in the firing line. Frank tried to shift the blame onto referee John Brooks for not ruling out Liverpool’s second goal for a push by Hugo Ekitike on Cristian Romero. But by that point Tottenham for ward Xavi Simons had already seen red for a wild lunge on Virgil van Dijk. Romero was booked for his pro tests after Ekitike’s goal and then got himself sent-off in stoppage-time for kicking out at Ibrahima Konate, just as

Tottenham had the Reds on the ropes. “To get involved right and kick out at someone right in front of the refe ree. If my four-year-old did that I would say ‘what are you doing?” Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp said after the eighth red card of Romero’s career. Former Brentford boss Frank finds himself in a familiar position to many Spurs managers in recent years, unable to produce a team fit to match the club’s world class stadium. Only the bottom three have taken fewer points than Tottenham’s eight from nine home league games this season. Wolves set for unwanted history With relegation already appearing inevitable, Wolves are in danger of becoming the worst side in Premier League history.

mark point of the campaign is usually a sign of future champions, but it has proved to be more of a curse for Arsenal. In the four previous times they have led at Christmas in the Premier League era, they have not gone on to win the title. That includes two recent examples as Mikel Arteta’s men were reeled in by Manchester City in 2022/23 and 2023/24. Indeed the last five times the lead ers at Christmas did not go on to becomes champions, City have won the title. Arteta, though, is confident his side will finally get their reward for continuing to put themselves in pole position for a first league title in 22 years. “What gives me belief and confi dence is the level of performance and the consistency of that,” the Spaniard told AFP . “That’s very, very difficult to

A meek 2-0 home defeat to Brentford on Saturday means they remain without a win and with just two points after 17 games. The record books have already been rewritten during a miserable campaign for one of English football’s oldest clubs. A losing streak of 10 consecutive top-flight games is a first in Wolves’ 148-year history. Derby’s record low points total of 11 from 2007/08 is under threat, with Wolves having the joint lowest points tally at Christmas in Premier League history alongside Sheffield United in 2020/21. “Do we want to be remembered for fighting until the end of the sea son,” asked vice-captain Matt Doherty after Saturday’s latest defeat. “Or do we want to be remembered for being cowards?” AFP

Can Arsenal crack Christmas curse?

The Gunners will be top of the tree on Christmas Day for the third time in four years after grinding out a first Premier League away win in four games on Merseyside. Being in first place at that land