BLUES SIGNING URGES TEAM-MATES TO GET GRITTY

Davis display takes boss back to the bygone days

DEAN Smith has heaped praise on young Aston Villa striker Keinan Davis, labelling him “a bit like Cyrille Regis”.

The 21-year-old led the line admirably for Villa during their 6-1 Carabao Cup victory at Crewe on Tuesday night and grabbed a goal he more than deserved, lashing home from a yard out after great work by Jack Grealish.

“He was very good. He’s a handful, Keinan, I don’t think there will be too many centre-halves in any league that would want to play against him. He’s physical, he’s strong,’’ said Villa head coach Smith.

“I was really pleased he got his goal because that’s the only thing missing at times.

“He’s a bit of a throwback of a centre-forward, a bit like a Cyrille Regis from those days, God bless him.

“His performance was excellent, he made the ball stick around him and brought others into play and got one himself.”

Davis has vowed to repay the belief shown in him by Smith after being given a rare start.

With Villa only signing one striker over the summer in £22 million Wesley from Club Brugge, Smith has promised Davis game-time this season, which is why he opted not to go out on loan.

Davis said: “In the transfer window he (Smith) told me he wanted me to stay, which gave me massive confidence, and now I’m trying to repay him with my performances.

“At the start (of pre-season) I thought about going out on loan, that maybe I wouldn’t play as much because I wanted to get as many games as I could.

“But he kept on reassuring me, telling me ‘Stay and you’ll play’. I had to trust him. He reassured me so it was all good in the end. He’s given me an opportunity; now I have to prove myself to him.”