Villa boss Smith says Albion will be desperate to stop in-form Abraham

ASTON VILLA boss Dean Smith knows Tammy Abraham will be a marked man in tonight’s battle of the Championship gunslingers.

The league’s two top-scoring teams clash head on when Villa travel just down the road to West Brom.

It promises to be a slugfest with the Baggies having blasted 42 goals so far and their neighbours just behind on 39. Abraham, on loan from Chelsea, has been terrorising defences lately, netting seven times in his last four games.

That red-hot form has seen Abraham win the Championship player of the Month award for November (left) and Smith says he is under no illusions that his 21-year-old star will be high on the opposition’s list of things to take care of.

Smith, who was born in West Bromwich, said: “With the form he’s in, it would be remiss of them not to try to nullify his threat. But we’ve got firepower all over the place.

“Our goals are coming from everywhere so it’s not just all about Tammy. He’s enjoying his football right now, but with seven goals in four games, he would, wouldn’t he?”

Smith added: “He’s got the potential to play at the very top.

The lad has a bit of everything – headers, left foot, right foot. He’s been spot on.”

The Villa boss is not worried that Chelsea might recall Abraham in January.

“I see no reason why he would not continue here. He’s playing games and scoring goals, and that is what he came here for,” said Smith.

“It’s got all the ingredients of a thriller – the top two scoring teams in the league going at it. We have all seen these turn out to be 0-0 after all that build-up, but I don’t think that will happen.”

Smith knows Albion pack a punch too, adding: “They have players who know where the net is – Dwight Gayle, Jay Rodriguez and Matt Phillips.”