Garth Crooks blown away by Ross Barkley as Aston Villa thrash Liverpool

Add as preferred source on Google

Garth Crooks named Aston Villa loan star Ross Barkley in his Team of the Week after a standout showing against Liverpool.

The BBC Sport columnist was impressed with the 26-year-old as Villa tore the champions apart, winning 7-2 at Villa Park.

Barkley scored his first goal for his new club, capping a debut to remember following his arrival from Chelsea.

Villa have won all three of their Premier League matches so far and look a much better side than last season.

Crooks was impressed with the man who has collected 33 England caps and stuck him among his top players of the week.

He told BBC Sport: “For a debut, it doesn’t get much better than this. I’ve seen Ross Barkley make his debut for three different teams now and on each occasion, he never fails to make an impression.

“This time it was for Aston Villa and the opposition was Liverpool. He only signed for Villa on Wednesday and with only three days’ training he takes on the England champions and runs the show.”

Barkley earns £96,000-a-week at Chelsea and it’s reported that Villa will foot some of those wages after paying £11 million to take him on loan (Mirror).

The England man needs regular football and after a summer of activity at Chelsea his chances of doing that at Stamford Bridge were slim.

A midfielder, Barkley linked up exceptionally well with Jack Grealish and that partnership is certainly one to watch.

Having transferred from Everton in 2018, the Liverpool-born player has failed to hold down a regular place in the side, making 86 appearances in total.

A few more performance akin to that against Liverpool and Villa might want to sign him permanently next summer.