Carney Chukwuemeka backlash unfair but big Aston Villa decision awaits

There was a sense of defeat to Steven Gerrard in the Leeds United press room last week when quizzed the head coach about the current state of play regarding Carney Chukwuemeka. The 18-year-old and his representatives continue to shelve new contract talks at Aston Villa.

Gerrard, 41, explained how he and Villa have "done all they can" in an attempt to commit Chukwuemeka's future to Villa Park. The head coach, like Dean Smith before him, stated how there's "a big road map for Carney" to become a mainstay in Villa's team in the years to come. This season, Chukwuemeka remains the youngest player to have started a Premier League fixture (vs Brentford) and, since then, has totted up eight appearances off the bench, which includes being chosen ahead of the likes of Morgan Sanson and Ashley Young in tight games such as Everton away.

Last week, there was a backlash aimed at Chukwuemeka knowing Villa and Gerrard have moved heaven and earth to convince him to stay and to become a big player. The England under-19 star has been disappointed with his lack of Premier League starts this term and wants to sit down in the summer and assess if his future is in fact at Villa Park.

The midfielder is, remember, just 18 and it's important to give the youngster the benefit of the doubt. We don't know the true ins and outs of Chukwuemeka's situation and, until his future is decided, fans must remain patient. There's been some harsh words on social media aimed at the FA Youth Cup winner as well, which have been totally unfair and could really damage a young player who's looking to make a career out of the game.

The ball remains in Chukwuemeka's court. He'll have 12 months left on his current deal by the time pre-season begins while Villa