Conor Hourihane: Aston Villa ready for more big tests after Middlesbrough "statement"
Conor Hourihane claims resurgent Villa are ready for more big tests to come after delivering another “statement” win at Middlesbrough.
Saturday’s 3-0 victory on the Riverside was the fourth in five games for Dean Smith’s men and saw them continue their charge up the Championship.
But they remain three points outside the top six, ahead of Friday’s West Midlands derby with fellow promotion hopefuls Albion.
Home games with Stoke and second-placed Leeds are also on the horizon and Hourihane said: “We knew the game at Derby last month was the start of a tough run. We have passed a lot of tests so far, going through it.
“There are still a lot of tough games to come. West Brom, Stoke and Leeds is another block of games which is going to be a tough one for us.
“But we will go into those games with a lot of confidence, after the results we’ve now had.”
Goals from James Chester, Tammy Abraham and Glenn Whelan saw Villa breeze past Boro.
They became the first team this season to score three against the Championship’s meanest defence and have now netted 15 times in their last four games.
The result also saw Villa bounce back from the disappointment of last week’s 5-5 draw with Nottingham Forest.
Hourihane continued: “We really wanted to make a statement. On Wednesday after Forest we were really disappointed.
“Not with how the game went but being 5-4 up and down to 10 men, we felt we should have saw the game out.
“The lads were really disappointed and we wanted to go to Boro and make a statement. I felt we played really well.
“The aim was to win the game and show what we are all about. The last few of our away performances have been good.
“Middlesbrough are a good side. They are up there in the league. A lot of teams won on Saturday, we were seeing the scores come in before we started playing.
“We wanted to go there, continue chasing the pack down and make a statement.”
The midfielder, who has been utilised in a deeper role since Smith’s arrival as head coach, took the man-of-the-match prize, rebounding from his own disappointing performance against Forest.
“I’ve loved it,” said Hourihane. “The gaffer has come in and told me he wants me to play there. I’m more than happy to do it.
“The way he plays, it is a joy really. He wants me to get on the ball and pass it. A lot of things come through myself and I am really enjoying it.”
