Morgan Rogers: From Manchester City prospect to Pep Guardiola's tormentor

Following his second goal for Aston Villa in a well-earned Premier League victory against Manchester City, Morgan Rogers celebrated with the "shivering" move that was made famous— and may soon be trademarked— by Chelsea's Cole Palmer.

According to Rogers, he originated the celebration while he and Palmer were teammates in Manchester City’s youth academy.

Palmer and Rogers share more than just a celebration. They both struggled to make an impact at City before eventually finding success in the Premier League with other teams.

While Palmer is shining brightly in the Premier League with Chelsea, Rogers has been gradually making his impact.

However, they possess a refined ability, a straightforward approach, and a solid self-assurance that allows them to attempt the unconventional and surprising – combined with the talent to successfully execute it.

This was all evident at Villa Park on Saturday as Rogers made a comeback to trouble Pep Guardiola, leading his old team to their sixth loss in eight league matches, while further building his own reputation.

Rogers performed so well that Guardiola faced inquiries during the post-match press conference regarding why City decided to let the winger leave.

"It was a team that clinched both the treble and the quadruple," he remarked. "Sometimes, everything just falls into place at the right moment."

"Everyone recognizes Morgan's talent. There are times when he’s competing against players who are two or three years his junior, like David Silva, Riyad Mahrez, and Raheem Sterling."

"I'm really glad for him; he's a wonderful person. England has a fantastic talent on their team."

Rogers extended Villa's advantage with a clever low shot, having outmaneuvered the City defense earlier in the game. After getting free, he selflessly passed the ball to Jhon Duran, who netted the first goal.

This marked the first time Rogers both scored and provided an assist in a Premier League match. It was his fourth goal of the season and his eighth in 28 league appearances for Villa.

These numbers may not be impressive, but this was yet another match where Rogers performed better than what the statistics indicate.

It's evident that manager Unai Emery has faith in him, as he has been in the starting lineup for every league match this season. Both the player and the coach believe he has the potential to achieve even greater things.

"I aim to excel in important matches and I want to demonstrate my capabilities," Rogers shared with TNT Sports following the victory over City.

"At times, I manage to get through the tough parts but then have a hard time finishing with precision and calmness. This season, I’ve missed out on a few opportunities that I really wanted to convert into goals."

Emery remarked, "He had an amazing performance today and is crucial to our team. He's the one who connects the forwards with the midfielders and wingers, helping us regain our form. In the second half, he truly stood out, building connections with the strikers and finding the back of the net."

"He needs to increase his goal count, and today he performed exceptionally well."

Beyond the chilly statistics of goals and assists, Rogers was incredibly hard to stop against City. He scored shortly after coming close by hitting the post with a fantastic solo effort.

Shortly after scoring, he delivered a brilliant disguised pass to Ollie Watkins. However, the striker failed to convert it into a 3-0 lead, as his shot was saved by the goalkeeper.

In the match against City, he had four shots on goal, tried to dribble past defenders five times (successfully completing three of those attempts), and made six touches in the opponent's penalty area. He led the team in all of these statistics.

It's true that all of this happened against a City defense that lacked confidence, but Rogers made seasoned international players appear like they were part of an over-40s team—and not a very impressive one at that.

"I really enjoy watching Morgan Rogers in action," stated former Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Rogers comes across as really smart; he controls the game with confidence. Instead of desperately chasing after the ball, he knows exactly where to be at the right time."

Rogers' journey to becoming a key player for the team that finished as the fourth-best in the country last season has been anything but straightforward. At just 22 years old, he has already contributed to seven different clubs.

Having joined West Brom at the age of nine and played his first senior match at 16, Rogers' skills caught the attention of Manchester City.

He had loan stints at Lincoln City in League One, followed by Bournemouth and Blackpool in the Championship, before making a permanent move to Middlesbrough for £1.5 million in July 2023.

He began last season on a bit of a shaky note but displayed moments of brilliance, particularly in the two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final against Chelsea in January. Therefore, it came as a bit of a shock when Aston Villa decided to spend £8 million, along with additional fees, to acquire him later that same month.

However, this is starting to seem like one of the best deals we've seen in a long time. While there's a lot of discussion about teams having a hard time enhancing their squads and signing new talent due to financial regulations, Rogers stands out as a prime example of what clubs can achieve with smart transfer strategies and a commitment to developing young talent.

In November, he renewed his contract with Villa, extending it until 2030. This ongoing partnership with Emery, according to Rogers, has been crucial to his achievements.

"He's always pushing me to do my best; there's never a moment I can take a break," he said to TNT about Emery.

"He genuinely wants what's best for me, and that really resonates with me. We have a solid professional relationship, and I'm not the only one he's helped. I'm eager to continue on this path and discover where it leads."

Earlier this season, Morgan played his first match for the senior national team in England's 3-0 victory over Greece in the Nations League. He was called up at the last minute after eight players, including Palmer, had to drop out.

Maybe the two ex-colleagues will soon find themselves teaming up again on the same side. This is an exciting possibility for any England supporter, especially as Rogers' reputation keeps on rising.