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Published : 14 Dec 2025, 11:16 PM
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers bagged a double as the visitors twice came from behind to win 3-2 at West Ham United to remain in the thick of the Premier League title race on Sunday.
Villa conceded after 29 seconds as Mateus Fernandes punished a mistake by Ezri Konsa and the away side trailed 2-1 at the interval before Rogers took matters into his own hands.
The England midfielder drilled home an equaliser five minutes after the break and then smashed a dipping drive past goalkeeper Alphonse Areola late on to seal the points.
Villa had cancelled out West Ham's early opener in the 10th minute with defender Konstantinos Mavropanos credited with an own goal but Jarrod Bowen put the hosts back in front.
Bowen thought he had given West Ham the lead again but had his effort ruled out for offside.
Victory lifted third-placed Villa to 33 points from 16 games, three behind leaders Arsenal, while West Ham's sixth home defeat of the season left them third from bottom with 13 points and in danger of spending Christmas in the relegation zone.
Rogers has forged his way into starting contention ahead of Jude Bellingham for England at next year's World Cup and performances like Sunday's will do his cause no harm at all.
He was the stand-out player for a Villa side who have now won 10 of their last 11 league games and who beat Arsenal last weekend to put themselves squarely in the title conversation.
"We know we can get back into any game and we have the fight to win it. To get the three points today is massive, it's a big win," Rogers said. "We play for each other and we know our tasks. We are in a good moment and we want to keep it going."
VILLA PART OF TITLE RACE
Villa had won nine of their last 10 Premier League games with last weekend's defeat of leaders Arsenal making Unai Emery's side part of the title debate.
They looked anything but serious contenders though in a slipshod first half in which they lacked intent in attack and were lackadaisical at the back.
Whether it was their midweek exertions in the Europa League win over FC Basel, Villa set the tone by conceding the earliest Premier League goal this season after 29 seconds.
Some casual passing led to a dawdling Konsa gifting the ball to Fernandes who curled a superb finish past keeper Marco Bizot from a tight angle.
Villa were only behind for nine minutes though as John McGinn's cross was aimed at Ollie Watkins and his header took a crucial touch off Mavropanos.
With the home crowd subdued in the sprawling London Stadium, Villa dominated possession but were guilty again in the 24th minute as they failed to clear and when the ball was played to Freddie Potts his effort was flicked past Bizot by Bowen.
The demanding Emery was an agitated figure on the touchline in the first half and whatever was said at halftime clearly worked as Villa were level again five minutes after the break.
Youri Tielemans swung a cross towards Watkins who ducked and it fell to Rogers who had far too much time to take a touch and drill a low shot past Areola.
Villa then got a let-off when the lively Bowen's effort was ruled out before Rogers popped up with a sensational match-winner, looking up and thumping home a shot from 25 metres.
