Dean Smith keen to carry on momentum at Aston Villa
Dean Smith has urged Villa to use the belief gained from Tuesday’s stunning Carabao Cup win over Leicester in their Premier League survival bid.
Villa, who beat the Foxes courtesy of a stoppage-time winner, returned to training today with the focus already on Saturday’s relegation six-pointer at Bournemouth.
Smith’s team currently sit 16th in the table, two places and two points above the Cherries, after a haul of seven points in their last four top-flight matches.
The boss believes confidence will be further boosted by this week’s cup success.
He said: “We’ve had a brilliant January, bar the Manchester City game (a 6-1 home thrashing). The results and performances since then have been very good.
“I said last week the last-minute goal against Watford (in a 2-1 win) would give everybody a spring in their step. We were very aggressive against Leicester and it’ll give everybody belief in what we’re doing.
“The lads can learn an awful lot playing 180 minutes against the third-best team in the league this season, managing to beat them and go to Wembley. It shows that there’s an awful lot of character in the squad.”
Villa are still working to recruit another striker, most probably on loan, before tomorrow’s transfer deadline.
Scott Hogan yesterday joined Blues on loan, after his season-long spell at Stoke was cancelled.
The latter remain keen on Villa club captain James Chester, while winger Jota is close to joining Fulham on loan.
