Dean Smith believes Aston Villa skipper Jack Grealish produced his best display in five months during Tuesday’s heroic 1-0 Premier League victory over Arsenal, speaking to the Birmingham Mail.
If the Midland giants were hoping to emulate bitter rivals West Brom and pull off the ‘great escape’ this season, they needed their captain fantastic to be at his balling best in the final few weeks of what has been a testing campaign.
And, after a couple of ineffective displays in which the pressure seemed to be weighing him down, Grealish appears to have been reborn at precisely the perfect moment.
The fleet-footed number ten was at his balletic best as Aston Villa out-fought and out-played FA Cup finalists Arsenal, helping provide a link between the attack and an overworked defence while giving the Midland giants a much needed outball as they looked to avoid being camped on the edge of their own penalty area.
If Keinan Davis had been a little more clinical when one-on-one with Emi Martinez, Grealish would have had a seventh assist of the top-flight season to his name too.
And, according to Smith, the homegrown hero could hardly have timed his finest display since February any better.
“Jack had his best game since restart and was a constant threat,” the former Brentford boss said after Trezeguet’s volley sealed three vital points.
“It was a superb performance. He seemed to make interception after interception. The defensive side of his game has got so much better.
“It was a captain’s performance from him tonight.”
Villa know that they are potentially just one win away from sealing Premier League survival and, if Grealish is at his flowing best once again on Sunday, West Ham United could find him almost impossible to contain.
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