Smith ‘proud’ of players as Villa go ‘toe-to-toe’ with Man City

Will Ford

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith insists he was proud of his players as they went “toe-to-toe” with Manchester City, and is confident if they reproduce similar performances in the Premier League, they will avoid relegation.

City dominated the majority of the game and goals from Sergio Aguero and Rodri were enough to overcome a dogged Villa side 2-1 at Wembley.

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But Mbwana Samatta scored a brilliant header for the Villans and Bjorn Engels came close to forcing extra-time in the dying seconds, but his header was palmed on to the post by Claudio Bravo.

Smith was delighted with the fight shown by his team, after criticising them following their 2-0 defeat to Southampton in their last Premier League outing.

Smith said: “I told the lads I am proud of them. We went toe-to-toe.

“We were playing against a top team and we had to defend well. There was never any sense of a backward step and this pleased me more than anything.

“The performance level is what it should be and we got a reaction from the players. The concentration goes to the Premier League and if we play like that we will get out of it.”