John Terry rolled back the years with a faultless performance against Barnsley at Oakwell.
Villa supporters have certainly had to wait a while to see the best of their marquee summer signing who, at the age of 36 and on huge wages, had been questioned early in the campaign for the odd below-par display.
However, it is performances like the one at Oakwell that explains why Villa supporters expect so much from a veteran centre-back they picked up on a free after he left Chelsea at the end of last season.
Terry barely put a foot wrong against Paul Heckingbottom’s side, providing the foundation for just a second win in eight Championship games for Villa in 2017/18.
The former England skipper may have lost a yard or two of pace as the years have gone by but his positional sense remains exceptional while his willingness to put his body on the line merely highlights the winning mentality that saw Terry lead Chelsea to five Premier League titles.
And while Terry may be unlikely to add to his cavernous trophy cabinet at Villa, it is this sort of mammoth display that raises hopes that he can inspire the Midlands giants back to the top flight.
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