Unai Emery fear over Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers' international call

The Villa boss is frustrated with the decision to include Rogers in the Young Lions squad for friendly matches with Spain and the Netherlands, claiming the 22-year-old is missing out on important rest.

Halesowen-born Rogers has started every Premier League and Champions League match for Villa this season but Emery admits he has recently been managing his playing time, leaving him out entirely for the recent Carabao Cup defeat to Crystal Palace.

He said: “This is why I talk about friendly matches and under-21s, if he is really important to go there and play, sacrifice his rest and risk being injured? 

“This is really my worry with him. I am trying to protect him a lot. We need him now here more than the national team will need him.”

Belgium have agreed not to call-up for Youri Tielemans for Nations League matches against Italy and Israel as the midfielder deals with a minor knee problem. Tielemans is still expected to play against Liverpool tonight before resting during the break and Villa believe the same common sense should be used with Rogers.

The Albion academy product has been brought off in each of Villa's last four matches.

Emery continued: “He is one of our best players. His rest is important because he is playing a lot and he is normally running the most of all the players in our squad, 11km a match with intensity as well. He is sometimes tired.

"I decided to change him at Tottenham because the last time he was with his national team and played with us matches in a row he was finishing so, so tired." 

On Tielemans, Emery added: "He’s available for Liverpool I think, but he told us that he has a small pain, but not relevant to stop. 

"He told us with his national team that they are playing friendly matches and he thinks he will need rest. He is going to be resting next week, hopefully not tomorrow."