The race for the English Premier League 2024-25 season is on. Manchester City are leading the points table. Pep Guardiola’s side dropped points for the first time against Arsenal. They are being chased by the same teams that ended in the top four last season. A few other teams are also chasing the pack.
Aston Villa are once again in the mix to challenge for the top four. They are playing in the UEFA Champions League and have a strong squad for the ongoing campaign. Unai Emery’s men are just a point behind Manchester City. They have won four out of the five league matches played. Villa’s only loss came against Arsenal.
The biggest reason Aston Villa are in the top four is their 20-year-old Colombian striker. Jhon Duran is proving to be a super sub for Emery. His goals off the bench have earned six points for the Villans.
Jhon Duran joined the club in January 2022. He made 35 league appearances before the current season and scored five goals. This season, he already has four goals in five games. As we head further into the season, here is a look at how this super sub has impacted Aston Villa.
Impact off the bench
Jhon Duran has featured in every match for Villa in the current season. However, he hasn’t started in any of these matches. The 20-year-old has appeared off the bench. He has impacted in four of the five games played.
The Colombian forward adds a lot of presence to the attack. Unai Emery uses him as a proper no. 9 can be witnessed from the touches taken inside the penalty box. Duran has made himself available around the six-yard box. These are scoring zones and a young forward adds more pressure on the defenders.
Jhon Duran has scored four goals in five games. He netted a winner against West Ham. Arsenal were able to stop Duran from scoring. Duran scored a winner against Leicester City in the next game and followed this with another winner against Everton. The shot against Everton came from a long range. Duran netted his fourth of the season against Wolves. The forward has a 50% accuracy rate. Of the 10 shots attempted, nine came from inside the box.
Troubling the defenders
In the first game of the season, Duran was clever enough to beat West Ham United’s defence. He was in an offside position when the ball was wide on the left flank. Duraan allowed the opposition defender to get past him. The Colombian held his run and waited for the ball to be delivered into the danger zone. Duran capitalised on the opportunity with a first-time finish.
Against Leicester City, Jhon Duran once again used his presence of mind. He was the lone target in the middle with 4-5 opposition players around him. The cross had no pace. Duran was able to head the ball ahead of the defender. He used his power and guided the ball past the goalkeeper.
The Colombian forward made a clever run between two Wolves defenders in the previous game. He held his run and got into a good scoring position. Morgan Rogers found his teammate with ease.
Unai Emery will be happy with the impact his substitute has created. The forward is on a roll and is getting ready to become the new commander of the attack.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine