Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WON MAN TEAM
Mcginn praises Villa ’flinging bodies on the line’ as they win WITHOUT Grealish for first time since April 2019
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JOHN MCGINN believes Dean Smith’s Aston Villa can make this “a special season.”
Villa continue to develop under Smith and have put themselves in the mix for a European spot.
The 1982 European Cup winners last qualified for Europe under Martin O’neill 11 years ago and Mcginn says the players can help the fans to dream again.
Midfielder Mcginn felt Villa’s impressive win at Leeds courtesy of Anwar El Ghazi’s fifth-minute goal was a statement of intent. They nullified Leeds’ potent attack to become the first side in any of Europe’s top five leagues to register eight clean sheets away from home this season.
Smith outfoxed Marcelo Bielsa (right) as Villa started quickly, capitalised on
Leeds’ weaknesses at set-pieces to score and then soaked up all the home side’s pressure.
“They came to Villa Park and put three past us so here we had to put it right,” said Scotland international Mcginn.
“We got the goal early on then showed grit, determination and desire. I’m sure everyone back at home, and everyone in the dressing room is delighted with a massive three points.
“That’s what it’s going to take. We’ve got it in us to make this a special season.
“Here it was about rolling our sleeves up, Anwar showing a bit of quality in the first half and after that it was just flinging bodies on the line and doing anything it took to get the three points. And thankfully we did that.” Mcginn was right to be bullish and Villa were impressive from one to 11, from match winner El Ghazi to goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who took painkillers for a groin injury during the game to ensure he could continue.
El Ghazi troubled Leeds with his shoot-on-sight policy, while in midfield Marvelous Nakamba has clocked up 375 minutes of league action without Villa conceding, as they won a league game without their talismanic skipper Jack Grealish for the first time since April 2019.
El Ghazi’s return to Elland Road was sweeter than a cuppa with six sugars.
He was distraught on his last appearance here in that infamous Championship match in April 2019 when Patrick Bamford dived to get him sent off.
The Dutch striker said: “The last time we were here it was hectic and chaotic, I was very upset. So I’m happy there was a good end for me this time.”
ANOTHER two points dropped at St James’ Park was hard enough for Steve Bruce to stomach.
But the prospect of losing his two most creative players left him fearing the worst.
Bruce didn’t exactly say that but he didn’t need to. His pained expression said it all.
It was a picture of misery, frustration and bewilderment as a campaign which started with hopes of a top-10 finish threatens to unravel.
Bruce claims he had never felt worse than he did after Newcastle’s inept display in January’s 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United yet he probably feels just as bad today after circumstances once again conspired against him.
The fact that the Magpies well for long periods on Saturday night felt irrelevant after the news that Miguel Almiron and Allan Saint-maximin have joined top scorer Callum Wilson on the evergrowing casualty list.
Robbed of the heavy artillery that Wilson provides felt a cruel enough blow for a team hardly renowned for its firepower. Now the cavalry have buckled with Bruce contemplating having to do battle with foot-soldiers not exactly equipped for landing mortal blows on the enemy.
No Wilson, no Almiron, no Saint-maximin. No hope? Can Newcastle win games, even score goals, without their three best attackers and with players like Jonjo Shelvey (right) hardly known for finishing?
“Well, we’re going to have to,” said Toon boss Bruce. “We’re going to have to find a way. Our top goalscorer last year only scored six goals and we managed to find a way of getting some results. It’s been pretty brutal for us in that respect but we just have to take on the challenge.”
There’s been a certain deja vu about this fixture. This was the fifth successive 1-1 draw between the two sides and, just as in the corresponding game last season, Newcastle skipper Jamaal Lascelles headed the hosts into the lead just after half-time. It was fully deserved after an opening period in which Toon created several chances and had a goal ruled out for offside. But Newcastle couldn’t quite exploit their superiority and the Wolves equaliser came as
no surplayed prise, though its build-up and execution were further sources of despair for Bruce.
Jamal Lewis failed to cut out Pedro Neto’s cross, Isaac Hayden was still wondering where he should be playing after a tactical tweak, and Martin Dubravka failed to prevent Ruben Neves scoring his first-ever headed Premier League goal despite getting a strong hand to the ball.
The Slovak keeper preserved a point for the Toon in stoppage-time when Fabio Silva’s point-blank header struck him on the collarbone.
But it is typical of Bruce’s luck right now that, even when he makes a selection decision welcomed by fans, it rebounds on him, with the concensus afterwards being that axed Karl Darlow might have saved Neves’ effort.
Bruce bemoaned Joelinton’s woeful finishing late on but, while his relationship with supporters has broken down, keeping players onside remains his best hope of salvation.
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PEP GUARDIOLA believes home comforts could ultimately see his record-breaking Manchester City side over the line in the title race.
Despite a 14-game winning streak in the Premier League, to open up a seemingly unassailable lead, Guardiola refuses to believe the title race is over.
But with their next three league games at home, starting tomorrow with Wolves, Guardiola knows City – who need nine wins from 12 games to be champions – can take a giant step to the title.
“They are terribly important and I’m terribly happy,” said Guardiola. “These three home games may be a huge, huge part of our Premier League.
“For what we have in our legs and minds, these three games will be so difficult. But the fact we don’t travel is so important.”
City had to dig deep to win, only returning from Budapest on Thursday afternoon, following their 2-0 Champions League victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach, then having the Saturday lunchtime kickoff slot. “We know how difficult it was, going to Budapest and, after one day of rest, playing a game at 12.30, not 5pm or 6pm,” said Guardiola.
“It wasn’t good, like we wanted it to be, but sometimes it’s so important to play these kinds of games and be able to win.
“The players know we are absolutely not champions. There are still 36 points to play for and many games.
“I think about Wolves – oh my God, how tough
– then Manchester
United – okay, welcome!
“Leeds have to come here, then Leicester and
Brighton away, Fulham away. All of these teams are playing exceptionally well. We won today and it’s really good, but it can be broken, the confidence can slow.
“We’re optimistic, but one day we’re going to drop and after that, maybe it will be easier to encourage us to come back.”
Although clinching the title is the priority for Guardiola and his players, they can set new records if they can maintain their winning run this month.
The longest winning run by a European top-flight club is held by Bayern Munich, who won 23 games between February and September last year. Real Madrid won 22 in a row between September and December in 2014, while Brazilian club Coritiba hold the world record, with a 24-game winning run.
Goals from central defensive duo Ruben Dias and John Stones sealed this latest win, the latter getting the winner after Michail Antonio had equalised just before the break.
Stones, whose revival looks set to earn him an England recall this month, said: “I’m loving and enjoying my football, working hard and I feel like I’m improving, which is the main thing.
“Hopefully I can keep moving in the right direction. I was really pleased to get another goal. It was a massive and important one as well.
“I think it’s the first one I have scored that has actually made us win the game. It’s a massive win, a massive three points and we just keep the run going.”
Dias said: “We will just continue on the same track, which is one game at a time. Now we are looking forward to the next one and nothing else.
“The worst enemy we can have is ourselves. We have got to keep the right mentality and keep on going.”