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Aston Villa, buoyed by Jack Grealish’s return, hammer Derby County 4-0

By Josh Tonti

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 25: Jack Grealish of Aston Villa walks out onto the pitch with a mascot during the Sky Bet Championship match between Aston Villa and Birmingham City at Villa Park on November 25, 2018 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 25: Jack Grealish of Aston Villa walks out onto the pitch with a mascot during the Sky Bet Championship match between Aston Villa and Birmingham City at Villa Park on November 25, 2018 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) /
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Jack Grealish captained Aston Villa for the first time as the 23-year-old attacking midfielder returned following a two-month injury layoff. The claret and blues absolutely hammered Frank Lampard’s Rams.

Villa are back, folks.

Buoyed by the return of Jack Grealish to the starting XI, Dean Smith’s claret and blues scored four first-half goals against fellow promotion contenders Derby County.

Lineups and First-Half:

Grealish entered straight into the starting XI with no bench cameo. He didn’t miss a beat, in all honesty. Jed Steer continued in goal over Lovre Kalinic again. I would not have expected Aston Villa to face Ashley Cole in the year 2019, but here we are.

Villa started hot, and stayed hot. The front six and fullbacks were able to retain possession in the Derby half for much of the opening ten minutes. Conor Hourihane scored the first goal of the afternoon when Grealish, already making an effect, provided a long-ball over the top. Tammy Abraham was able to latch on, but it took a deflection off Scott Carson, to Hourihane, who calmly slotted home.

Villa’s second came when the claret and blues started a counter down the right-flank. Ahmed Elmohamady, filling in for the injured Alan Hutton, collected the ball, and provided a beautiful, bending low cross. Tammy Abraham scored his 21st goal of the league season from the tap-in. Less than ten minutes later, Conor Hourihane recorded his second of the game to make it 3-0 to the good guys.

But it wasn’t over yet!

Jack Grealish scored that goal. Seriously, watch it on loop endlessly.

Second-Half:

A serious leg injury to centre-half Tommy Elphick hampered what would have been a perfect day. Elphick stretched for a pass, but his boots got caught under the Villa Park turf. He immediately signaled for help in what may be a left ankle/knee ligament problem. Hopefully, it wasn’t his final appearance for Aston Villa.

Villa kept it clean and Jed Steer recorded the shutout as the game ended 4-0. Grealish and Anwar El Ghazi were able to get a breather in the second-half as Tom Carroll and André Green entered.

Up next, a Second City Derby.

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