Anwar El Ghazi starred as Dean Smith’s Aston Villa beat Championship play-off rivals Bristol City on Saturday.
Bristol City manager Lee Johnson has admitted that his side had no answer to Anwar El Ghazi as the Aston Villa winger produced a scintillating performance on Saturday, speaking to the club’s official website.
The Dutch international joined Villa on a season-long loan from Ligue 1 outfit Lille in August and produced arguably his finest performance in claret and blue as Dean Smith’s side clipped the Robins’ wings over the weekend.
It was El Ghazi’s pinpoint cross which allowed Connor Hourihane to seal a 2-1 win for the hosts, an eighth successive three-point haul which has all-but sealed their place in the Championship play-off places.
And, speaking after the game, Johnson has admitted that his defence was torn apart by the former Ajax starlet.
“It is what it is, and it was always going to be a tough game. The boys worked their socks off and had a couple of chances to go one or two goals up,” the manager said.
“They couldn’t deal with their switch on a couple of occasions. El Ghazi caused us problems when he cut inside.”
According to the Express and Star, Aston Villa have an option to sign the 23-year-old on a permanent basis at the end of the season but El Ghazi will need to build on this display if he is to prove that he deserves to stay.
Villa now have a five-point buffer between themselves and seventh place with just four games to go.
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