Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers proves his importance for England in 3-0 win over Latvia | OneFootball

England enjoyed a successful outing on Monday, defeating Latvia 3-0 in their second match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers played the full 90 minutes and delivered an impressive performance under new England manager Thomas Tuchel.

The 22-year-old, deployed in the No. 10 role behind Harry Kane, may not have registered a goal contribution, but he was lively throughout. If not for some excellent saves from Latvian goalkeeper Krišjānis Zviedris, he could have found the back of the net at least once.

Rogers played a key role in England’s second goal. He positioned himself well to receive a pass from Marcus Rashford before finding Declan Rice, who made an excellent run and delivered a pinpoint cross that Harry Kane converted.

Statistically, Rogers was one of the standout performers. He won the most duels in the match and completed more dribbles than anyone else, five more than the next-best player. He also registered the most shots with six attempts. Defensively, he contributed with two interceptions, the highest in the match, while ranking third overall in ball recoveries.

Speaking about Rogers' performance, Tuchel said: "I'm happy with him in general. He deserved to start because he trained very well and has been playing well for Villa."

"In a match where we were so dominant, I think he was more suited to playing from the wing. Once we moved him there, he had more freedom on the ball and could use his dynamic movement more effectively. There was a bit more space for him there compared to the half-space. It's interesting because I’m learning about the players and the game, and that’s always good."

Rogers himself reflected on the match in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's a dream come true - a moment to remember, for sure. We knew it would be difficult and that they would defend well in a low block, but our quality showed. I'm delighted."

"That’s what you want to do when you play football - you don’t want to sit on the bench. Thankfully, I got my chance, and hopefully, I’ll get many more in the future. I'm a bit disappointed I didn’t score. I’m not always going to get it right, but if I keep doing the right things, good things will come."

At club level, Rogers is enjoying a strong season, having registered 12 goals and seven assists. Although Aston Villa currently sit ninth in the Premier League, they are only three points behind fifth-placed Manchester City, a position likely to secure UEFA Champions League qualification next season. As for the current season, Villa remains in the Champions League and is set to face Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals.