El hath no fury this time around
ASTON VILLA manager Dean Smith is no lover of Fantasy Football but a dogged 1-0 win away from home over Leeds United suits him just fine.
Smith was irked last weekend when Jack Grealish’s shin injury was leaked because Fantasy players with inside knowledge started to withdraw the Villa captain from their teams.
On Saturday, it was all smiles. Anwar El Ghazi was given the Grealish slot on the left side of a 4-3-3 and struck the only goal after five minutes.
It was a particularly sweet moment for the Dutch international who had been unjustly sent off on his last visit to Elland Road in 2019. He also used to play for Leeds’ iconic manager Marcelo Bielsa at Lille and it was nice to see the pair share a friendly handshake despite El Ghazi’s match-winning efforts.
He did well to bring a mishit shot by Ollie Watkins under control inside the penalty area and had the composure to slip a low finish past Illan Meslier for his seventh goal of the season.
It provided the framework for a deserved win that takes them just six points off a Champions League spot with a couple of games in hand on fourth-place West Ham.
It was also their first top-flight victory without the talismanic Grealish since February 2016.
Though he will continue to be the first name on the teamsheet when fit, there was enough in the performances from El Ghazi, John McGinn, Ollie Watkins and teenager Jacob Ramsey – preferred to Ross Barkley – to indicate this isn’t a one-man team.
‘It was important for us to win after losing the last game against Leicester,’ said El Ghazi. ‘The gaffer told us we had to be on the front foot from the beginning. We prepared well and got a fast start.
‘We know Jack Grealish is important and without him it is a hard game but we did really well and pressed altogether. We were on it from the start which wasn’t the case against Leicester.’
El Ghazi certainly felt happier when he was substituted late on than two years ago when he was victim to a miscarriage of justice, getting sent off for apparently elbowing Patrick Bamford, later rescinded when the Leeds forward was banned for diving.
Leeds’ main outlet was the inform Raphinha whose pace is electrifying but strangely they failed to create clearcut chances in the second half despite Bielsa sending on Jack Harrison and Pablo Hernandez.
Bielsa defended his players however. ‘We played better than the opponent and had many minutes of dominance. We just lacked imagination with the final pass,’ he said. ‘If any team deserved to win it was us.’
In last night’s late game, Ruben Neves headed home a 73rd-minute leveller as Wolves drew 1-1 away to Newcastle United.
Jamaal Lascelles had put Steve Bruce’s side ahead but they failed to hold out in their bid to put distance between themselves and the bottom three.