Ezri Konsa explains why Aston Villa have never had it so good

The three-time Champions League winner scored his first goals for the club since joining from Paris St-Germain, including an 89th minute winner, as Unai Emery’s men came from behind to claim a crucial 2-1 victory in the race for a top-five Premier League finish.

Both goals were set-up by Asensio’s fellow loanee Marcus Rashford and Konsa, one of the longest-serving players on the books having joined after the club was promoted back to the Premier League in 2019, thinks the playing staff has never been stronger.

He said: “From the first season I was here, staying up on the last day to now playing Champions League football, the quality of player we have it’s the best since I have been here. 

“It shows how far we have come as a club that we are able to bring in these kind of players.

“Growing up you watch these players, playing at the highest level. To be able to share the pitch with them is a great feeling.”

Asensio and Rashford arrived as part of a major recruitment drive during the January transfer window which also saw Villa add Donyell Malen and Axel Disasi.

The club is paying around £500,000-a-week in wages combined to the former pair but their part in Saturday’s comeback, after Enzo Fernandez had fired Chelsea into an early lead, suggested the investment may well pay off.

Konsa added: “I think the quality we have now, both in the starting XI and on the bench, is strong. 

“It is something we have been missing through the season and you could see today with the subs we made, Marcus Rashford coming on getting the two assists and helping us get the three points. 

“It is a massive boost for us to have top quality players on the bench who can come on and help us get the three points.

“If you know football, you know the quality Asensio brings. He has a lot of trophies under his belt, three Champions Leagues. I am just glad he is here, able to help us. Long may that continue.”

Konsa, returning to action after missing the previous two matches with a hamstring injury, played his own vital part in the win when he blocked Cole Palmer’s goalbound shot after Emi Martinez had been beaten with the scores level at 1-1.

Victory moved Villa, who had not won for five Premier League matches, to within a point of Chelsea in the fight for European football.

Konsa said: “It was massive. We needed it. Especially with the two draws we got at home earlier in the week. 

“We knew we could only come out of Saturday with three points. That was the main goal.

“Going one-nil down, sometimes it’s scary. Doing that against a top team, it’s always difficult to get back into the game. 

“As soon as we got the first goal, you could see how much pressure we were putting on them and…thank you to Marco and Rashy.”

Asked about the block, Konsa replied: “There are a lot of big moments in games, I’m just glad I was there at the right time.”