Steve Bruce was on the touchline at Villa Park for the first time since a fateful cabbage took flight, and his side delivered a suitably underwhelming performance. Fortunately, he’s in charge of Newcastle now, and it was Dean Smith’s Villa who walked away deserved 2-0 winners.
It seems an eternity since we lost to Wolves, and while I always welcome the football back, I wish this one didn’t feel quite so important. Is it? Well, it is pretty big. We’ve got the normal business with Steve Bruce returning and wanting to prove the new owners and supporters wrong. Probably Dean Smith, too. We’ve got Villa needing a win. Makes for a big night under the lights.
Another two points slipped away on Saturday as Villa twice took the lead against visiting Burnley, but got pegged back to take just the one point in a 2-2 draw. And while it felt like a loss, there actually were enough good bits to leave me feeling alright a few days after.
We know the story up to now…mistakes, bad officiating, naïveté, adaptation. They all add up to just four points and a spot in the drop zone. So, to say today’s game is a big one would be an understatement. Villa need confidence. They need three points. They need to feel like maybe the tide can turn. Me, I think it can.
Sunday afternoon, and time for Villa to visit the Emirates. While Arsenal have struggled a bit in their familiar fashion, it’s still a tough place to play. But I have to believe Villa will be thinking they can spring a bit of a surprise.
