SMITH: GOAL HERO WAS ONLY 50- 50 TO PLAY
DEAN SMITH was thankful hero Ross Barkley had been passed fit after Aston Villa’s storming start to the season continued at Leicester.
The Chelsea loanee’s late winner means Villa have won their opening four games of a league season for the first time since the 1930- 31 campaign.
Barkley shrugged d off a knee injury to o play and boss
Smith, right, said:
“We’ve seen Ross do that enough times for Everton and Chelsea so we’re pleased he did it for us.
“It was touch and go whether he started. He had a knock but it was a great goal and a real battling performance by the team.
“Everyone has had a short pre- season.
“There are a lot of tired legs and they are getting into the season slowly but surely.” Villa can even go top if they beat Leeds on
Friday.
Barkley said: “I was 50- 50 in the week and our club doctor [ Dr Ricky Shamji] did a really y g good job getting me righ right.
“H He said I would en end up scoring the goal and I did, so I dedicated the goal to him.” Leicester struggled st badly wit without injured strike striker Jamie Vardy. Manag Manager Brendan Rodgers said: “We didn’t work the goalkeeper as much as we would like.
“But I thought we were unfortunate to lose a very close game.
“We have a lot of games coming up. A number of players will need game time.”