GREAL HOPE
0 0 Jack’s back in Euros boost but can’t light up dull affair
DEAN SMITH admitted it was a welcome sight to see a fit-again Jack Grealish back in an Aston Villa shirt.
The England star came on for a cameo role near the end of this goalless draw after three months out with a shin injury.
Villa manager Smith said: “It’s small steps with him but it was just great to see him back out there.
“He certainly brought a spark out onto the pitch when he came on.
He had one mesmerising run and you just thought he would come on and score winner.”
Smith said Grealish’s 72nd-minute return was slightly earlier than planned, adding: “We’ve got to go softly, softly with him. The medical staff said bring him on at 75 minutes but I twisted their arm to get a few more minutes out of him.”
Grealish, above, has ground to make up after looking an absolute the cert to be in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for this summer’s Euros at the turn of the year.
With a glut of midfield talent jostling for places, Grealish’s inclusion has come into question more with each passing day he has been off the scene.
It was always asking a lot of him to light up this dull game but seeing him back is enough to have Villa fans smiling again. The first half had little or nothing to commend it. Villa came closest when Douglas Luiz clipped a cross towards the near post, where Tyrone Mings managed to connect with a diving header but he sent his effort wide.
In the end Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez took the spotlight, doing well to push around Ben
Godfrey’s far-post volley. And with two minutes left he made a crucial block to keep out Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s header.
Everton’s hopes of finishing in the European places suffered a blow with the draw.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti said: “Nothing has changed – we must fight to the end of the season.
“I’m really positive. I said at the start of the season the European positions will be decided by the last game and we want to be there.
“Maybe we have to have three victories to be in Europe and we will try to do it.”