Morgan Rogers starred in a Middlesbrough team that crept past a plucky Exeter City side to reach the last eight of the Carabao Cup.
Rogers, a summer signing from Manchester City has been an influential figure of late, scoring important goals and contributing to the impressive form of Michael Carrick’s outfit. Last night, he got the start that his performances have deserved, and he didn’t disappoint, scoring a spectacular goal in the process.
Boro made the long trip down to Devon to face Exeter on what proved to be a tricky encounter. They eventually won 3-2 in what will be the first of two visits to the county as they face Plymouth away on Saturday.
There was some excellent attacking talent on display during the Carabao Cup tie, but it was Rogers who stole the show with a performance that was deservingly capped by a goal of the highest order. Trailing one-nil, Rogers drifted to the left-hand side and received the ball from winger Sami Silvera. As the defender approached, he dropped his shoulder, swerved his body to the right and whipped the ball into the far top corner with his right foot from outside the 18-yard box.
Fans react to performance
Fans took to social media after the game to express their delight at Rogers’ showing. They all seemed to agree that the 20-year-old is knocking on the first team door. One supporter said, “Morgan Rogers is ready to start in my opinion. He’s becoming some player and is only going to improve with more games under his belt.”
Another fan agreed, adding, “Morgan Rogers is going to be some player, superb business from Boro.”
The theme continued as another wrote, “Think we’ve got a really special talent in Morgan Rogers. If he can unlock his potential and find consistency, the sky’s the limit for him.”
Whilst the ‘special’ narrative was echoed by this fan, “Morgan Rogers has all the ingredients to be a special, special footballer.”
Rogers’ exploits in the number ten role against Exeter showed just how much he has progressed already under Michael Carrick. Earlier in the season he was desperate to make his mark, but it was not quite happening. Carrick was forced to play Rogers in an unfamiliar number nine role, but has always backed the former City starlet and his ability.
The patience from Carrick is beginning to reap rewards, and the cameos from the bench-including a winner against Wayne Rooney’s Birmingham City-are testament to the work that is evidently going on with with Boro’s coaching staff, something Rogers himself alluded to in the post-match interview on the club website.