Bitter Smith rips into Fer
was here today and I believe he will be in training on Monday.”
Whether Smith will need to find a replacement for 16-goal Abraham is a worry.
Villa’s fans didn’t wait to find out, walking out of Villa Park long before the end.
Fer took the home side apart, ruining £7million Croatian goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic’s debut.
Smith’s only win in seven games was at Swansea in the Championship. They also beat the Welsh side in the league at home – but the hat-trick was never on.
Fer set-up Nathan Dyer and Jay Fulton after Courtney Baker-Richardson had got the Swans up and running after two minutes.
Dyer, just after half-time, and sub Fulton added more and Swansea boss Graham Potter saw nothing but good in Fer.
He said: “I said to Fer after I thought it was his best game. “People forget that he’s come back from an Achilles rupture and missed a lot of last season.
“Now you are seeing a performance level closer to the Leroy Fer I think’s there.
“I am delighted with him and thought he was disciplined, although I am sure Dean Smith will say he got away with a couple of tackles as well.”
Smith made six changes, Potter one and it showed as Swansea bossed the game to stroll through. Possession 46 % 54% Shots On Target 2 7 Shots Off Target 6 5 Blocked Shots 2 2 Corners 9 5 Fouls Conceded 9 8 Offsides 1 0 Yellow Cards 1 Red Cards 0 2 0