Express & Star

Dean Smith eyeing Aston Villa promotion

Proud boss Dean Smith warned plenty of hard work still lies ahead for promotion-chasing Villa after they beat Millwall to make history and secure a play-off place.

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Jonathan Kodjia scored the only goal to earn Villa a 10th straight league win, breaking a club record last set in 1910.

Defeats for Middlesbrough and Bristol City later in the day meant Villa are now assured of a top-six finish.

But for Smith the focus is now on finishing the job by winning promotion and a return to the Premier League.

Villa next head to Leeds on Sunday and the boss said: “There’s still an awful lot to do.

“We’re hoping there’s five games to go and that we will win all of them.”

Discussing the new club record, he added: “I don’t think until I look back on it that I will realise what we have done. Our focus is to get promoted.

“I’m already focusing on Leeds next week. In time I will look back and realise what we have actually achieved.”

Kodjia’s 30th minute strike was enough to see Villa past a stubborn Millwall outfit, for whom goalkeeper David Martin made several stunning saves.

It continued the remarkable resurgence which has brought alive a season that looked finished only two months ago, when Villa languished in the bottom half of the table.

“If you’d have told me 11 games ago we’d go and win these last 10 games, I think I would have said you were crackers,” said Smith.

“But there have been some outstanding performances from the players.

“The turning point was the 1-1 draw at Stoke. I got into them at half time and we’ve been good from there.

“The performance against Millwall was comfortable without being emphatic. We didn’t take our chances that would have made it more comfortable and the goalkeeper made some important saves.

“But it was a comfortable win and nice to break that record at Villa Park. The players have been magnificent.”

Smith expects defender Axel Tuanzebe to return for Sunday’s trip to Elland Road, after the defender missed yesterday’s game with an ankle injury.

Tammy Abraham is, however, again set to miss out with a shoulder problem.