Local Aston Villa heroes aim to follow-up Champions League show with derby win at Wolves

But in Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers they have two local boys eager to back-up excellent performances in Wednesday’s Champions League win over Celtic.

Rogers stole the headlines by scoring a hat-trick and becoming the first player to score twice in the first five minutes of a match in the competition’s history.

Yet in terms of the big picture, it was arguably a more significant night for Ramsey, who set up his team-mate and friend’s third-minute opener and then did the same for Ollie Watkins on the hour mark.

The 23-year-old was in danger of becoming a forgotten man at Villa Park after an injury-plagued 18 months which began when he suffered a broken foot playing for England under-21s at the 2023 European Championships. 

Wednesday was the clearest sign yet he is emerging from the gloom and he said: “It is probably the first game since the Euros (in 2023) I have felt back to my best.

“When the manager (Unai Emery) first came in I think I was playing at my best. Then I had my injuries and looked a completely different player.”

He continued: “I just want to continue feeling well, continue feeling healthy. My aim for now is to just stay fit and have big performances like Wednesday, getting goals and assists.”

Rogers is the man-of-the-moment after taking his goal tally for the season to 10 in all competitions with his treble against the Hoops.

It came almost a year to the day since he joined Villa from Middlesbrough for an initial £8million and was the latest landmark in a meteoric rise, which has seen him become one of the Premier League’s brightest young talents and earn a first senior England cap.

Ramsey, who has known Rogers since they battled it out in youth football when the latter was part of Albion’s academy, says he is not surprised in the slightest at his friend’s success.

“Morgan has always been a top player,” he said. “He made his debut for Albion when he was 16, which says it all. 

“He moved on to Man City, won the Youth Cup and was one of the standout players. Then he had a couple of bad loans but that is just part of football. 

“I think he has always had that confidence and self-belief and you can probably see that tonight and in previous games, he always has confidence to get on the ball, whether he makes a bad pass or whatever. 

“The past 12 months he has been on fire and his career has gone to the next level. Hopefully he can continue. He is a really top guy and me and him are really close. He was really good on Wednesday night.”

Villa’s win in the Battle of Britain saw them squeeze into the Champions League top-eight and with several key players sidelined, Ramsey acknowledged it is a good thing they will now skip next month’s play-off round.

Matty Cash is the latest player to go down after being forced off in the first half of Wednesday’s match. Already down to one recognised centre-back due to Tyrone Mings’ knee injury, Emery must decide whether to play Lamare Bogarde, Kosta Nedeljkovic or new signing Andres Garcia at right-back against Wolves.