Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
DEAN TAKES INSPIRATION FROM RON’S HUGE UPSET
DEAN SMITH is drawing inspiration from witnessing Aston Villa’s last big
League Cup final upset as he plots Manchester City’s downfall.
The Midlands club have not won major silverware since lifting the League Cup for a fifth time in 1996 against Leeds.
But Villa boss and lifelong fan Smith was in the crowd at Wembley when Ron Atkinson’s unfancied side won the League Cup to deny Manchester United in 1994.
Smith said: “I went to the 1994 final and we’re probably about the same odds to beat a Manchester United side chasing the Treble. Ron Atkinson masterminded a great win.
“Andy Townsend who lifted the trophy in ‘94, Dalian Atkinson, Dean Saunders and Graham Fenton, they’re names etched in every Aston Villa fans’ head.
“It’s an opportunity for our players now to go and etch themselves into the history of the football club too.
“I’ll be giving our squad some reminders of what it takes to win cup finals and some reminders of the history the football club.
“There will be something from myself plus some visuals.
“Some video clips and stuff on our previous League Cup wins.
“I’d be told off by Chris Nicholl if I didn’t show his 40-yard goal from 1977 against Everton.”
Smith added he would have been at the 1996 final too as a fan had he not been called in to training at short notice.
The former defender,48, said: “I was playing for Hereford and we had a poor performance at Colchester, and Graham Turner decided to get us in on the Sunday.
“I wasn’t very happy as I had to give my two tickets away but I can understand Graham’s feelings.”
ASTON VILLA MAN CITY TV TIMES:
GABRIEL JESUS knows that winning the Carabao Cup can be a springboard to a stunning end to a difficult season for Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s side will soon relinquish their Premier League champions status to Liverpool and face a two-year UEFA ban from the Champions League for breaking Financial Fair Play rules.
But City still have a chance of claiming three trophies this season and turning a testing campaign into one that ultimately yields fresh success.
For all Liverpool’s brilliance in the league and City’s inability to keep up with them, the Blues can still end a turbulent season on a high.
They are in pole position to reach the Champions League quarter-finals after an epic 2-1 win at Real Madrid, and have every chance of retaining the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
City’s win in Madrid proved their enduring class and Jesus, who scored at the Bernabeu (mobbed, above), knows the significance of tomorrow’s clash against Aston Villa in the context of the season run-in.
“Sunday is important,” said Jesus. “It’s been a big week because we played Leicester away, a team with a lot of quality, and went seven points in front of them. So we’ve had two very good games – and now it’s a final. It’s important to win the first title of the season.
“The second leg against Real Madrid will be a difficult game, but now we have to focus on the final on Sunday and play to win the first title.”
Jesus, 22, is in contention to start tomorrow, having scored in back-to-back games to take his goal tally to 18 for the season from 36 games.
Although he has missed a succession of chances that would have already seen him surpass the 20-goal mark, Jesus is hitting his best form at just the right time of the campaign.
Jesus played on the left against Real, rather than his more familiar position as a