"He was outstanding" - Gabby Agbonlahor heaps praise on Aston Villa player linked with summer move after Brighton win
Former Aston Villa star Gabriel Agbonlahor has heaped praise on Villa defender Ezri Konsa following his brilliant display against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
The 24-year-old was solid at the back for the Villains, who beat the Seagulls 2-0 in a vital Premier League clash at the Falmer Stadium.
With Konsa's future at Villa Park reportedly up in the air, the player produced a fantastic performance which should make Aston Villa wary of losing him.
Agbonlahor praised Konsa, along with Villa's defense, for their win over Brighton, who have played an attractive brand of football this season.
Love it, @EzriKonsa. 🙌 https://t.co/WjM52yHoAj
He told Football Insider:
“It was a massive result. Not many teams go to Brighton and get a result like that, it’s a very tough place to go. The defence looked a lot better with Konsa back in it, he was outstanding".
The former Villa forward believes Steven Gerrard needs time at the Midlands club to stamp his authority. Agbonlahor explained:
“People have to give Aston Villa time. They will have ups and downs in performances but you have to give Steven Gerrard time. Once we get into the summer, he can add a few players to the core of the team and get stronger. Performances like that against Brighton show that the players are really loyal to the manager and are doing exactly what they want them to do."
With Villa reportedly not against the idea of selling Konsa, Agbonlahor was quick to recall how good he was alongside Tyrone Mings at the heart of the Villains' defense last season, saying:
“With Konsa, people forget about his partnership with Tyrone Mings last season and how good they were in defensive. You can’t forget that. There’s a few new players in, it will take time for them to get used to each other.”
Aston Villa want to bring in Joe Gomez from Liverpool
Steven Gerrard has reportedly asked Villa to bring in Joe Gomez from Liverpool next summer.
The former Liverpool captain has not been shy in making changes at Villa Park, many of which have worked brilliantly so far.
He took over a relegation-threatened team and lifted them to the 13th spot in the Premier League table.
Joe Gomez has been made Aston Villa's "number one priority" this summer, with Steven Gerrard a huge admirer of the defender.
With his contract expiring in 2024, Liverpool could accept an offer of around £30m for the 24-year-old. [Football Insider] https://t.co/QbnEB51XrG
Aston Villa want to continue building their squad and have identified Gomez as their next target. He is expected to replace Konsa at the club.
Gomez has struggled for game time at Liverpool, with Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate all ahead of him in the pecking order.
The England international, whose current contract with Liverpool runs until 2024, has played just 530 minutes of football across 13 games in all competitions this season.