THEY SPHINX IT’S ALL OVER.. IT’S NOT YET
Egyptian star Trezeguet strikes twice to hand Villa relegation lifeline but they’re 4 points from safety with only 3 games left
TREZEGUET handed Aston Villa a relegation lifeline - but time is running out.
The Egyyptian striker, one of 12 summer signings following promotion last term, ensured Villa’s first win in 11 League games with clinical finishes either side of the break.
But Dean Smith’s side are still four points from safety – with just three games remaining.
Bookies still have Villa long odds on to go down, but for Smith there is still hope, even if they have two away games (at Everton and West Ham) and only one home fixture (against Arsenal) to come.
Smith knows the size of the task ahead but his team will head to Merseyside on Thursday with a spring in their step.
“If we get that win at Everton we put scoreboard pressure on the teams around us,” the Villa chief said.
After riding their luck early on when Palace defender Mamadou Sakho had a goal overturned by VAR, Villa finally showed the fight, quality and guts that has been lacking since the restart.
The recalled Conor Hourihane provided both assists for Trezeguet as Smith’s tactics came up trumps.
And skipper Jack Grealish looked back to his best after struggling for form.
Villa simply had to triumph after wins for Watford and West Ham lifted the London clubs seven points above them.
And it was lucky they were opponents devoid of form and confidence – Palace have now lost five games in a row. The visitors’ miserable afternoon was compounded when striker Christian Benteke kicked out in the closing stages and was red-carded for foul and abusive language.
Villa’s preparations were hit by a groin injury to Kortney Hause in the warmup – he was replaced by Ahmed Elmohamady. And things looked like getting a lot worse for them when Luka Milivojevic curled in a free-kick which Sakho glanced in. Ref Martin Atkinson gave a goal but his decision was overturned by VAR for hand-ball. The let-off galvafacing
nised the hosts and Mbwana Samatta powered a header over from Elmohamady’s cross.
Elmohamady then picked out Grealish at the back post in the 38th minute but the Villa star’s right-foot volley was saved.
Palace rallied and Pepe Reina was forced into a double save from Villa old boy Benteke, who was growing rattled.
Villa went in ahead at the break thanks to their dangerman Trezeguet (celebrating, far left). Hourihane swung over another dangerous set-piece which Joel Ward could only help on and Trezeguet was on hand to forced home at the back post.
Villa, who benefitted from VAR in the first half, were not so lucky after the break.
Referee Atkinson pointed to the spot after Grealish seemed to be tripped in the box by Palace defender Patrick van Aanholt but VAR overturned that decision too. It should have galvanised Palace but instead it was Villa who grew stronger and they doubled their lead just
before the hour-mark when Trezeguet poked home after Hourihane had headed the ball back into the box.
Palace boss Roy Hodgson was not impressed by Benteke’s act of petulance which will see him miss the rest of the season.
“He allowed himself to get overheated in the game and fall foul of the niggling,” said an angry Hodgson
“There was a lot of niggling going on but that is part and parcel of the game and you must not allow it to provoke you into doing something that is going to stop you playing for the rest of the season.”