Keinan Davis is yet to score in six Premier League appearances for Dean Smith’s Aston Villa – but Richard O’Kelly is a big fan.
Aston Villa coach Richard O’Kelly has admitted to being blown away by the potential of young striker Keinan Davis, telling the club’s official website that he is hoping to see the targetman get a run of games sooner rather than later.
The former Biggleswade Town youngster might have scored just three goals in 44 first-team games for the Midland giants since making his debut in January 2017 but a lack of end product should not overshadow a striker who has made a real difference when given a chance.
Davis might not be a natural goalscorer but, standing at 6ft 3ins and with a build like a boxer, the Stevenage-born starlet is capable of bullying even the most accomplished centre-backs while getting the best out of his fellow attackers thanks to some excellent link play.
Injuries have prevented Davis from playing more than 74 minutes of football in the Premier League this season but manager Dean Smith is clearly a fan, often bringing Davis off the bench in an attempt to shake things up late on in games.
And Smith’s long-time assistant O’Kelly believes that Davis is one a one-way track to the top of the game.
“Keinan is a player you look at and go ‘wow, he’s got some potential’. Through one reason or another – little niggles here and there – he’s never really had a run of games,” O’Kelly said.
“But what he’s done is come on in games and affected them. Last season in the Championship there were a few near the end where he affected the games when we really needed him to.
“He’s heading the right way. It’s just about getting him out on the training pitch every day and keeping working with him. The good thing about him is that he wants to do well and improve.
“Nothing fazes him. He thinks ‘throw something else at me, I will deal with that.’ He’s a cracking lad.”
The next step for Davis is to force Wesley Moraes, who has divided supporters since his big-money move from Club Brugge, out of the starting XI.
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