The attacking stars of Thursday’s Europa League semi-final have more in common than just a name.
In the red corner is Morgan Gibbs-White, one of Europe’s form players. In claret-and-blue, Morgan Rogers, one of the game’s most wanted forwards.
There is more to Nottingham Forest than just Gibbs-White and Aston Villa are no one-man team either, yet these are match-winners capable of sending their clubs to the Final. They are the players the opposition fear most.
Gibbs-White has 22 goal involvements in all competitions this season (16 goals and six assists), Rogers 21 (12 goals and nine assists).
Both will expect to improve those tallies in this tie and their performances may determine who reaches next month’s showpiece in Istanbul. Daily Mail Sport looks who might come out on top.
Morgan Rogers (right) and Morgan Gibbs-White (left) are key men for Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest respectively and could decide the Europa League tie
How they became key men
Gibbs-White is the alpha in Vitor Pereira’s squad. The 26-year-old was close to former boss Nuno Espirito Santo but did not share the same rapport with Ange Postecoglou, and certainly not with Sean Dyche.
When Jamie Vardy ruled the roost at Leicester, every manager knew they needed him on board to survive long-term. Now in his fourth season at Forest and regularly captain, Gibbs-White has similar influence.
Pereira realised that quickly and has handled Gibbs-White perfectly. Rather than the teacher/pupil relationship that Dyche had with the squad, Pereira treats Gibbs-White as another senior figure at the club.
Gibbs-White’s recent positional switch, from No10 to the left, was the result of a collaborative discussion, rather than Pereira saying ‘Do as you’re told’ as his predecessor may have done.
Gibbs-White delivers his best when he feels like the most important player and he has also become a more vocal leader in the last two seasons.
While Rogers does not have that role at Villa, his influence has grown thanks to his performances. He may not command a dressing room like Emi Martinez or Tyrone Mings but Rogers is hugely respected within the squad.
To the casual viewer, Rogers can look like he plays mainly on instinct. This is wrong, as Unai Emery regards the 23-year-old and John McGinn as his most tactically-astute players. Under Emery, Rogers has played on the right, on the left, at No 10 and even at No 9, without complaint.
As with Gibbs-White and Pereira, there is great mutual respect between Rogers and Emery. At the start of 2024, Rogers was not even an automatic starter in the Championship at Middlesbrough and Emery has turned him into a Premier League star. Rogers also appreciates his manager for sticking by him during his early-season struggles. Now they are desperate to lift the Europa League together.
Rogers (centre) has grown in leadership and is one of the most tactically astute players at Villa
Picking the right moment…
This should be Gibbs-White’s moment. He has five goals in his last three games, including a hat-trick in the high-stakes clash with Burnley on April 19. With Forest trailing and fans becoming restless, Gibbs-White delivered.
He produced another excellent display, including a goal and an assist, as Forest won 5-0 at Sunderland. Drifting in from the left as Jack Grealish did in some of his best games for Villa, Gibbs-White thrived against Burnley and Sunderland and will likely be used in a similar role on Thursday.
‘He has taken a massive step and it is amazing what he is producing,’ said Forest defender Ola Aina. ‘He has the potential to be a top player. He is the real deal and we are very proud of him.’
While Rogers is not flying quite as high as he was in the winter, he is a big-game player. He shone as Villa reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season and since moving to Villa Park, he has six goals in matches against Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham. He also has a goal and two assists against Forest.
It will be fascinating to see where Emery uses Rogers at the City Ground. He was a No10 in Villa’s drab 1-0 defeat at Fulham last Saturday yet many believe Rogers is most effective from the left. Just like Gibbs-White in his last two matches.
Gibbs-White, pictured celebrating a goal against Sunderland, is in sensational form
What about their England hopes?
Ever since Thomas Tuchel became England coach, Rogers has been central to his plans. ‘What a player,’ the German marvelled when he saw Rogers score a hat-trick against Celtic in the Champions League in January 2025. Once Rogers was in camp, Tuchel knew his first impression was correct.
Like Emery, Tuchel loves that Rogers absorbs instructions quickly. He also noted how relaxed Rogers seemed in the senior squad, even though it was relatively new to him. Tuchel adores Rogers’ ball carrying and ability to ride challenges, too.
Rogers and Jude Bellingham have known each other since competing as children in the West Midlands and Rogers has called Bellingham ‘little bro’ on social media. Their families get on well.
If Rogers is guaranteed to be in the squad and possibly even the starting XI, Gibbs-White has a tough job simply to make the plane. He was not on Tuchel’s 35-man ‘long list’ for the tournament in March and though his form since has been exceptional, Tuchel has never appeared totally convinced.
Thomas Tuchel is a huge admirer of Rogers and likes how quickly he takes in information
Daily Mail Sport understands that Tuchel and his team believe Gibbs-White can be too loose in possession and this makes them wary, with England due to play in the heat this summer.
Gibbs-White’s supporters would argue that he gives the ball away because he is prepared to make adventurous passes. The alternative view is that the very best can take risks while making sure the ball finds its mark.
Gibbs-White lifted the World Cup at Under-17 level in 2017 and dreams of playing on the greatest stage.
Tuchel is not a man who changes his mind regularly but Gibbs-White is making an extremely powerful case.
And what the future holds…
At different times last summer, both looked as though they could spend this season elsewhere – especially Gibbs-White. Manchester City tracked him throughout the spring, only to move for Rayan Cherki instead when they decided Gibbs-White’s price was too high.
Then Tottenham thought they had triggered a £60million release clause in Gibbs-White’s contract but Forest had other ideas and would not sell.
Gibbs-White was eventually made the highest-paid player in Forest’s history but in the days after the Spurs confusion, some feared Gibbs-White may be reluctant to play for Forest again.
Gibbs-White’s return this season shows owner Evangelos Marinakis was right to take the stance he did, even though the playmaker appeared distracted during the early part of the season.
Rogers looks the more likely of the pair to be sold this summer and will attract real interest
He still has admirers and there may be interest this summer but assuming Forest stay up, they are in a strong position. Elliot Anderson is likely to be sold, probably to Manchester City, and Murillo could leave too. Would Forest really allow Gibbs-White to depart as well? And would those clubs who could afford his wages also build a team around him, as Forest have? What if Forest win the Europa League and qualify for the Champions League?
Gibbs-White idolised Wayne Rooney as a child and has been seen as a long-term replacement for Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United. Depending on Fernandes’ situation, that may be one to keep an eye on.
Rogers’ future is possibly easier to decode. Villa have work to do to meet the Premier League’s and UEFA’s financial rules and the easiest way to do so is to sell players. There is interest from Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea, while Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich are following the situation. It would be a surprise if Villa simply priced Rogers out of the market, as they did last summer. They will surely listen to offers.
While there is no guarantee Villa will let Rogers leave, it seems the most logical route, given the constant financial pressures.
Even if he does not play for Villa in the Champions League again, Rogers is determined to take them there. The problem for him and Villa is that Gibbs-White is just as desperate to stop them.