Dean Smith was critical of Douglas Luiz’s passing in the first-half of Aston Villa’s stunning 3-0 Premier League win at Arsenal on Sunday, according to the Birmingham Mail.
While the absence of fans from football stadiums up and down the land is a stark reminder of just how challenging this year has been for us all, the lack of supporters does at least provide a unique perspective for those lucky enough to attend top-level sport.
So much so that, according to the Birmingham Mail, Smith’s instructions and analysis was audible in the final few minutes of a high-octane first-half.
The Villa boss was far from happy as Luiz gave away possession on numerous occasions as Arsenal threatened to cancel out Bukayo Saka’s early own goal late in the opening 45.
But to say the former Manchester City youngster improved after the interval would be an understatement.
It seems that Smith’s words of warning had the desired effect, focusing the mind of a man who would dominate the engine room in the second half – especially after Thomas Partey had been forced off injured.
It was Luiz’s gorgeous crossfield pass which laid the foundations for Villa’s second goal, as the magisterial Ross Barkley fired a first-time volley across the face of goal for the gracious Ollie Watkins to tap home.
Watkins, the £28 million club-record signing, would later score his sixth goal in seven top-flight appearances, slotting home after a buccaneering Jack Grealish run.
Luiz, an unsung hero in an already iconic victory, ended the match with an 88 per cent pass completion rate – better than any Villa player apart from Trezeguet.
It is safe to assume Smith was a little more complementary at full-time.
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