{"id":633154,"date":"2025-12-15T03:29:35","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T03:29:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/633154\/"},"modified":"2025-12-15T03:29:35","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T03:29:35","slug":"jamie-carragher-says-england-star-could-destroy-arsenals-title-hopes-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/633154\/","title":{"rendered":"Jamie Carragher says England star could destroy Arsenal&#8217;s title hopes | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"646\" height=\"431\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2212472468.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-25480954\" alt=\"Manchester City FC v Wolverhampton Wanderers FC - Premier League\" decoding=\"sync\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tMorgan Rogers will be \u2018key\u2019 if Aston Villa are to win the title, says Jamie Carragher (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n<p>Jamie Carragher hailed Morgan Rogers as a \u2018special\u2019 talent after Aston Villa\u2019s dramatic 3-2 win over West Ham, claiming the midfielder will likely be \u2018key\u2019 if the club are to win the Premier League title.<\/p>\n<p>Villa had looked on course to suffer their first defeat since early November after Mateus Fernandes and\u00a0<a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/jarrod-bowen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jarrod Bowen<\/a>\u00a0found the net either side of Konstantinos Mavropanos\u2019 own goal at the\u00a0<a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/london\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">London<\/a>\u00a0Stadium on Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>But the visitors clawed themselves back into the contest in the second period, with Rogers keeping his cool to squeeze the ball past Alphonse Areola and equalise in the 50th minute.<\/p>\n<p>Rogers, last season\u2019s PFA Young Player of the Year, was not done there, though, with the 23-year-old providing the standout moment of quality in the match to ensure Unai Emery\u2019s men came away with all three points.<\/p>\n<p>After being fed by Victor Lindelof, the England international took two touches before unleashing a dipping 25-yard strike to beat Areola and send Villa\u2019s away support into a frenzy.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tGet personalised updates on Aston Villa every day\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro\u2019s Football Newsletter. <\/p>\n<p><a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/newsletters\/football-newsletter\/?ito=football-article&amp;signup-source=football-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sign up to our newsletter<\/a> and then select your team in the link we\u2019ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.<\/p>\n<p>Emery\u2019s side held firm to stay within three points of top-of-the-table Arsenal, who <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/12\/13\/arsenal-vs-wolves-live-premier-league-latest-score-confirmed-lineups-25385950\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">survived a late scare to defeat Wolves<\/a> on Saturday. Manchester City, meanwhile, held onto second place after <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/12\/14\/pep-guardiola-gives-brutal-phil-foden-review-despite-man-match-display-25475028\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cruising to a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace<\/a> at Selhurst Park. <\/p>\n<p><a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/12\/14\/peter-schmeichel-warns-arsenal-rival-club-absolutely-title-contenders-25478485\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Talk of Villa being outsiders for the title has grown louder<\/a> in recent weeks, with the team riding a nine-match winning streak in all competitions heading into their gruelling winter schedule.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"646\" height=\"434\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251866883.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-25481013\" alt=\"West Ham United v Aston Villa - Premier League\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tRogers scored a second-half double as Villa came back to beat West Ham (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"594\" height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251303879.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-25481014\" alt=\"West Ham United v Aston Villa - Premier League\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tThe midfielder\u2019s second proved to be the winner (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n<p>The Villains will look to pick up where they left off when they return to top-flight action at home to Manchester United in a week\u2019s time.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018The upturn in form since what we saw in those first few weeks of the season is just a complete contrast,\u2019 ex-Liverpool and England defender Carragher said on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.skysports.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sky Sports<\/a> following Villa\u2019s win.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018But we go back to the manager a lot and rightly so. I think there\u2019s only <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/pep-guardiola\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pep Guardiola<\/a> in the <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/premier-league\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Premier League<\/a> right now who is a better manager than <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/unai-emery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Unai Emery<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018When you actually look at his CV and what he\u2019s actually done in his career, there\u2019s some top managers in the league but, as I said, he\u2019s got a great CV and he\u2019s done a brilliant job as well.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018But <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/morgan-rogers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Morgan Rogers<\/a> is something special.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"594\" height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251906234.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-25481017\" alt=\"West Ham United v Aston Villa - Premier League\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tEmery\u2019s side sit three points behind top-of-the-table Arsenal (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n<p>According to Carragher, Emery has \u2018one of the best players in the Premier League\u2019 to call on in Rogers.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018He just seems to be one of those players who sort of came from nowhere in some ways,\u2019 he added.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018They signed him from Middlesbrough for not a huge fee and he\u2019s gone on right now to not just being one of the best young players in the Premier League, which is what he was last season, PFA Young Player of the Year, he\u2019s now looking like one of the best players in the Premier League.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018That could be key if <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/aston-villa-fc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Aston Villa<\/a> do feel that they could go on and contest the league title or actually go on and win it.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"594\" height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251889525.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-25481022\" alt=\"West Ham United v Aston Villa - Premier League\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tVilla play host to Manchester United in their next match (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n<p>On Rogers\u2019 breathtaking 79th-minute winner, Carragher continued: \u2018It\u2019s not a one-off.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018We have seen it before, this technique, but we normally see it on free-kicks.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018We saw it at <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/leeds\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Leeds<\/a>, he gets the goal there, and it\u2019s knuckle ball-esque shall we say. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018What I haven\u2019t seen before is people getting goals in open play using this technique. It\u2019s obviously a lot easier with the free-kick as the ball is stationary.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"594\" height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2251304111_827f63.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-25481053\" alt=\"West Ham United v Aston Villa - Premier League\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tRogers is a \u2018special\u2019 talent, says ex-Liverpool defender Carragher (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n<p>Carragher believes Morgan\u2019s influence at Villa can now be likened to that of Erling Haaland at Manchester City and Declan Rice at Arsenal.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018This is what\u2019s making him a really special player in the Premier League. He\u2019s seen a technique that we\u2019ve seen before,\u2019 he went on.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018But seeing it in free play is something that he must have worked on in training as well and that\u2019s why I go back to: can Aston Villa win the title?<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"594\" height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2247012710.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-25481093\" alt=\"Albania v England - FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tBellingham and Rogers are vying for England\u2019s No.10 spot (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n<p>\u2018I don\u2019t think they can but if you are to win a title, and let\u2019s say <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/manchester-city-fc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Manchester City<\/a> go and win the title, we\u2019d say, \u201cOK, they\u2019ve got <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" data-track=\"inline-tag-auto-link_article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/tag\/erling-haaland\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Erling Haaland<\/a> who could be the best player in the league\u201d, and if I look at Arsenal then I think of Declan Rice. I see him as maybe a Player of the Year candidate.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018But with Aston Villa, who could drive them to the title? Who is that special that could almost be head and shoulders above everybody in the Premier League? The one player I look at is Morgan Rogers.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018He was PFA Young Player of the Year. Could he go on and be the PFA Player of the Year this season and drag Villa really close to a league title?\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<img width=\"594\" height=\"389\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/GettyImages-2246906245_86797a.jpg\" class=\"article-image wp-image-25481118\" alt=\"Prime Minister Keir Starmer Attends International Men's Day Reception At Downing Street\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/><br \/>\n\t\tCarragher feels there is a \u2018real fight\u2019 between Rogers and Bellingham ahead of the World Cup (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n<p>Barring a sudden drop of form or injury, Rogers appears a shoo-in for a place in Thomas Tuchel\u2019s England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup.<\/p>\n<p>And with Rogers going from strength to strength, Carragher feels it is not out of the question that the midfielder could overtake Jude Bellingham in the pecking order to start as the Three Lions\u2019 No.10.<\/p>\n<p>He explained: \u2018He\u2019s been one of those players, probably along with Elliot Anderson, in the last six months, for England who most people look at and think, \u201cOh, in the England team? That\u2019s a bold move\u201d, but the longer they\u2019re in there the more you think they should be in there.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018But what I would say is Morgan Rogers is competing with arguably our best player right now, he plays for Real Madrid, in Jude Bellingham. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018Bellingham played the last England game and I think in the eyes of most and mine, I must admit that, I think: once we get to the World Cup, Jude Bellingham will be playing in that position.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018But the more I watch Rogers play, and I actually think Thomas Tuchel thinks like this, this is not an easy decision that Bellingham comes back in.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018This is a real fight for Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers to see who is going to play in that No.10 position behind Harry Kane and if Rogers keeps playing like that then it\u2019s certainly not a given.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tAre Aston Villa genuine title contenders?<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tSign up to In The Mixer, your guide to the week in football. Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk \u2013 sign up, it\u2019s an open goal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\">Arrow<br \/>\nMORE: <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/12\/14\/newcastle-captain-bruno-guimaraes-rages-embarrassing-teammates-sunderland-loss-25478943\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes rages at \u2019embarrassing\u2019 teammates in Sunderland loss<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\">Arrow<br \/>\nMORE: <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/12\/14\/alan-sugar-tells-tottenham-sack-thomas-frank-hire-premier-league-legend-25477892\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alan Sugar tells Tottenham to sack Thomas Frank and hire Premier League legend<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"metro-more-link\">Arrow<br \/>\nMORE: <a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/12\/14\/aaron-ramsey-praises-brilliant-arsenal-star-makes-viktor-gyokeres-prediction-wolves-win-25476586\/?ico=more_text_links\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Aaron Ramsey praises \u2018brilliant\u2019 Arsenal star and makes Viktor Gyokeres prediction after Wolves win<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"metro-button share-bar-comments\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tComment now<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\tComments<br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><a data-ico=\"hyperlink-article\" class=\"metro-button share-bar-preferred-source\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/metro.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\tAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tAdd as preferred source<br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tFootball Newsletter \u2013 In The Mixer<\/p>\n<p>Punchy analysis, transfer talk and more from Metro&#8217;s football experts, sent straight to your inbox every week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Morgan Rogers will be \u2018key\u2019 if Aston Villa are to win the title, says Jamie Carragher (Picture: Getty)&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":633155,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5008],"tags":[161,102,748,393,94,4884,4110,9164,101,93,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-633154","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-england","8":"tag-arsenal","9":"tag-aston-villa","10":"tag-britain","11":"tag-england","12":"tag-football","13":"tag-great-britain","14":"tag-jamie-carragher","15":"tag-morgan-rogers","16":"tag-premier-league","17":"tag-sport","18":"tag-uk","19":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115721469033045821","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=633154"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/633154\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/633155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=633154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=633154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=633154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}