Rogers double lifts Villa into Premier League top four as Newcastle dent Manchester City’s title bid

Morgan Rogers produced two excellent finishes to inspire an Aston Villa comeback to beat Leeds 2-1 at Elland Road on Sunday and move into the English Premier League’s top four.

Rogers has often been preferred this season by England manager Thomas Tuchel over Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, but had struck just once this season prior to his second-half double.

After failing to win any of their first five games of the season, Villa have now won six of their last seven in the Premier League to climb into the Champions League places.

Defeat leaves Leeds inside the relegation zone and they were left to rue not building on a fast start.

Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez pleaded in vain for a foul as he was challenged for a high ball by Anton Stach.

Ezri Konsa hooked the ball clear off his own line but the ball rebounded in off Lukas Nmecha.

Martinez made amends with a fine save to prevent Brenden Aaronson doubling the hosts’ lead.

But Leeds’ energy dwindled in the second half after Rogers pulled Villa level just three minutes after the restart.

Unai Emery’s introduction of Donyell Malen at half-time paid immediate dividends as the Dutch international’s cross was flicked into the far corner by Rogers at the near post.

The 23-year-old then completed the comeback with a brilliant free-kick from right on the edge of the Leeds box that dipped beyond Lucas Perri.

Leeds had the ball in the net at the other end almost immediately, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin handled as he turned in Daniel James’ cross.

Martinez then denied Pascal Struijk with a fine stop low to his left as Villa clung on for all three points.

Newcastle pip City: Pep Guardiola was left fuming after Newcastle dented Manchester City’s Premier League title challenge with a controversial 2-1 victory on Saturday.

Guardiola’s side trailed to Harvey Barnes’ second-half opener at St James’ Park before Ruben Dias equalised for the visitors.

Moments after Dias levelled, Barnes bagged Newcastle’s contentious second goal, which was allowed to stand after a lengthy VAR check for a potential offside against Bruno Guimaraes.

Guardiola felt City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma had been fouled in the build-up to Barnes’ winner and was also aggrieved over a rejected first-half penalty claim by Phil Foden.

Guardiola stormed onto the pitch at full-time to confront referee Sam Barrott, but later said “everything is fine” when asked about the incident.

“It happened in the Bournemouth game and it happened today again. It is what it is after VAR decided. They know perfectly,” he said with a hint of sarcasm about Newcastle’s second goal.

“You see Donnarumma complain and that is because something wrong happened.

“It was an entertaining game, we both had chances and then there was a momentum shift and ultimately we couldn’t win.”

City’s fourth league defeat this season left them in third place.

City went into the international break with a 3-0 victory over troubled champions Liverpool that made it seven wins from eight games in all competitions.

But they squandered that momentum in an error-strewn display on Tyneside as Erling Haaland was held without a goal for only the third time in 21 matches for City and Norway this season.

Haaland was hoping to score his 100th league goal in his 109th appearance since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.

But he wasted several chances and Newcastle took advantage to beat City for just the second time in their last 36 league meetings.

Eddie Howe’s first win over City in 19 top-flight attempts eased the pain of Newcastle’s successive league defeats at West Ham and Brentford before the international break.

Donnarumma nearly gifted Newcastle the lead inside 30 seconds with a woeful pass that was intercepted by Barnes, but the winger wasted the chance as he shot straight at the Italian from 10 yards.

Agence France-Presse