Arsenal midfielder Eberechi Eze is currently preparing for Sunday’s game against Newcastle, but he may also have had an eye on what happened in the Europa League on Thursday night.
The Gunners face the Magpies at St. James’ Park this weekend, looking to end their winless run of three matches in the north-east.
Mikel Arteta’s team were held by Manchester City in their last league outing, and thus, cannot afford another slip-up on Sunday.
The North Londoners sit five points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool after five matches.
Eberechi Eze will be observing Morgan Rogers’ poor form for Aston Villa
Arsenal signed Eberechi Eze for £67.5 million this summer.
Signing for the Gunners will have immediately raised his stock in England manager Thomas Tuchel’s eyes, although certain recent events may also have helped push him up in the German’s estimation.
Eze will be determined to make the Three Lions’ squad for the World Cup next summer, although much of his fate in this regard will be determined by the performances of his competitors.
One man who will be rivalling the 27-year-old for a spot in Tuchel’s squad is Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers.
Rogers has endured a disastrous start to the new season with Villa, registering no goals or assists in his first seven games of the campaign. Conversely, Eze has three in his first five in red and white.
Unai Emery’s team secured their first victory of the season at home to Bologna in the Europa League on Thursday night, courtesy of a solitary goal from John McGinn.
Despite winning the game, Rogers, who played the full 90 minutes, was booed by his own supporters on multiple occasions at Villa Park, while many ironically cheered when the midfielder completed passes.
It was certainly not a positive performance from Rogers, whose poor start to the season may be threatening his place in Tuchel’s thoughts.
While Eze won’t be outwardly celebrating a teammate’s difficult form, the competitive side of him will undoubtedly be happy that he’s making greater strides than many to become a prominent member of the Three Lions’ squad.
Who else is Eberechi Eze competing with for England?
England have an incredible assortment of attacking midfielders from which to select.
The likes of Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer will presumably be on the plane to North America if they’re fit, and Tuchel will likely have room for one or two more of these creative central players.
Alongside Rogers, Eze’s main competitor at the moment is probably Morgan Gibbs-White.
The Nottingham Forest man has been selected by Tuchel multiple times, and although he’s not been granted many minutes, he has been in the squad.
However, Gibbs-White and Rogers aren’t the only ones vying for a spot in this area of the pitch. The likes of Phil Foden and James Maddison will still hold hopes of making a breakthrough into the side, while a resurgent Jack Grealish could be seen as a real threat to Eze’s place in the squad.
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