Kienan Davis impressed Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce as they struck late to prevent Brighton lifting the Championship title with a 1-1 draw at Villa Park.
Aston Villa’s Rushian Hepburn Murphy
While injury issues and contract wrangles appear to have stalled Rushian Hepburn-Murphy’s development at Aston Villa, fellow Bodymoor Heath graduate Keinan Davis continues to go from strength to strength, the Birmingham Mail reports.
The 19-year-old may have only made five cameo appearances under Steve Bruce prior to Sunday’s final day clash with title-chasing Brighton and Hove Albion. However, when Scott Hogan fell to the ground clutching his ankle just after half time, joining Jonathan Kodjia, Gabby Agbonlahor and Hepburn-Murphy on the sidelines, Davis was handed his biggest opportunity in claret and blue.
And didn’t he seize it?
Playing 43 minutes at Villa Park, more than any of his previous outings put together, it’s fair to say the hard-working Davis caught Bruce’s eye.
“He did very well. I thought it was written for him to smash one in in front of the Holte End to win it for us, but he ran out of juice,” Bruce told the Birmingham Mail.
“I thought the young kid looked top when he came on. He’ll remember that for ages. I thought he was very good.”
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce with Andre Green and Keinan Davis
‘Looked top’
While Davis has plenty of work ahead to prove that he could be a valuable member of Bruce’s first-team plans as Villa target promotion after a season of transition, his increasingly impressive displays could make the club think twice about spending big on another striker this summer.
The Sun claimed recently that Villa were eyeing up a £3 million move for Southampton targetman Sam Gallagher, who has netted 12 goals on loan at Blackburn Rovers this season.
With Kodjia facing six months on the sidelines with a broken ankle, Villa certainly need options. And Gallagher appears a good fit for Bruce’s direct style.
Yet, perhaps the manager should look inside the club for solutions instead. A striker shortage could be the making of Davis – while saving owner Tony Xia from spending big on a fourth striker since last summer.
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