Aston Villa welcomed Derby County to Villa Park for today’s Championship clash and with more recent poor form, both sides were looking to get back to winning ways.
With good news on the injury front and head coach Dean Smith welcoming Jack Grealish back into first team contention, hopes were high that we could at least get ourselves back on track and end the campaign strongly.
With a brace of goals coming from Conor Hourihane, and the scoresheet also seeing Tammy Abraham grab his 21st of the season, and a return strike from Grealish, it was 4-0 and game over before the halftime whistle was even blown.
We couldn’t add to the goals but we remained in control and the only disappointment was a worrying injury for Tommy Elphick – otherwise, the day couldn’t have gone much better really a even results elsewhere fell our way.
Speaking to the BBC following the game, Smith said of the match.
“It was a really good performance. We started very well and had a big chance cleared off the line. We’ve had a few of those over recent weeks when it hasn’t quite gone for us, but we scored shortly afterwards which has given everyone a lift. We scored some great goals and saw the game out very well. I told them I wanted a clean sheet and I thought if anyone was going to score in the second half, it would have been us. Jack’s got great leadership qualities and he’s a Villa boy so I had no qualms about making him captain today. The armband isn’t a burden to him and I thought it’s a good statement for the future and for him. In training he couldn’t hit the target but it was a great goal he scored.”
Villa v Derby Forum Match Thread.
