Wesley injury takes shine off Villa victory
JACK GREALISH played a significant part in Aston Villa climbing out of the relegation zone, but the downside for manager Dean Smith was worrying injuries to £22million striker Wesley and goalkeeper Tom Heaton. Wesley, who ended his 13-game Premier League goal drought, was carried off in distress, clutching the inside of his knee, after a challenge from Burnley’s Ben Mee. He faces an urgent scan to see if he has suffered ligament or cartilage damage. With 10 minutes left, Heaton, against his former club, twisted his knee trying to keep out Chris Wood’s header for Burnley, and so he also left the pitch on a stretcher. It is feared both Wesley and Heaton may be out for some time. Villa were already looking for a striker in the transfer window to give Smith more options in attack, but Heaton’s injury would force a rethink in goal. With Jed Steer, Heaton’s No 2 at the start of the season, out with a long-term achilles problem, Orjan Nyland may be given a run in the side after replacing Heaton in the closing stages at Turf Moor. Having spent £120million in the summer, Villa don’t have much spare cash for the January transfer window, so it was no surprise managing director Christian Purslow was on the pitch afterwards to ask about casualties as well as offer congratulations on a second away win. It was also a notable display following the 3-0 defeat by Watford in the previous game. ‘It was a hell of a response to our last game at Watford,’ Smith said. ‘But the injuries to Wesley and Tom totally take the gloss off it. They are two big players at the football club. Both of them felt their knees. We are not sure of the prognosis yet. We will let them have a scan and take it from there.’ There was plenty for Villa to like on the pitch. Skipper Grealish revealed players and staff had delivered ‘home truths’ to each other at a meeting beforehand. It got the required response. Grealish thought he had headed the visitors ahead after 11 minutes before VAR adjudged Wesley’s left heel fractionally offside in the build-up. It didn’t sidetrack the visitors. After 27 minutes, Grealish played a onetwo with Wesley before releasing the centre forward to control with his chest and fire home. It was Wesley’s first Premier League goal since early October and was deserved for his performance. The killer second goal four minutes before the interval followed a flowing Villa passing move involving Douglas Luiz and Wesley which was finished off ruthlessly by Grealish, who fired the ball into the roof of the net. Burnley were given a half-time reminder by manager Sean Dyche and just about deserved the goal by Wood from Ashley Westwood’s cross after 80 minutes. But Burnley have now lost six of eight and are dropping towards danger. Though Grealish was man of the match, Smith was equally pleased by the return of defender Tyrone Mings from a thigh injury, allowing Villa to set up with a back three. ‘We only had a couple of days to change the system but I could see by the look in the lads’ eyes they were ready for the game,’ he said. Burnley face Chelsea, Leicester, Manchester United and Arsenal next in the league. They’ve had only three shots on target in their last four games and Dyche wants them to start more quickly. ‘We were a long way short in the first half,’ he said. ‘You can’t wait for things to happen in the Premier League. You have to go out and get it.’
BURNLEY (4-4-2): Pope 5.5; Bardsley 5.5, Tarkowski 5, Mee 5, Taylor 6; Brady 5 (Gudmundsson 46min, 6), Cork 6, Westwood 7, McNeil 6; Barnes 5 (Rodriguez 46, 6.5), Wood 5.5. Subs not used: Hart, Lowton, Long, Drinkwater, Hendrick. Booked: Tarkowski. Scorer: Wood 80.
Manager: Sean Dyche 6. ASTON VILLA (3-4-3): Heaton 6 (Nyland 85); Hause 6.5, Mings 7, Ngoyo 6; Guilbert 6, Luiz 7, Nakamba 6, Taylor 6; Trezeguet 6 (Hourihane 78, 6), Wesley 7 (Kodija 71, 6),
GREALISH 8. Subs not used: Chester, Lansbury, El Ghazi, Elmohamady. Booked: Taylor. Scorers: Wesley 27, Grealish 41.
Manager: Dean Smith 7. Referee: Michael Oliver 6.
Attendance: 19,561.