Dean Smith believes Keinan Davis’ first Premier League goal will give the striker a big confidence boost and a platform to further showcase his ability.
Davis netted from close range in the 92nd minute of Sunday’s midlands derby against West Bromwich Albion to secure a deserved 2-2 draw at Villa Park.
The 23-year-old had only arrived on the pitch as an 82nd-minute substitute before making an almost immediate impact, hitting a post; coming after he stepped off the bench to help turn the game around in Villa’s 3-1 triumph over Fulham at the start of April.
Head coach Smith praised Davis’ attitude and spoke of his delight at seeing him finally get off the mark in the Premier League.
“I’m really pleased for Keinan at the end to go and get his first Premier League goal,” Smith told VillaTV post-match.
“He’s such a likeable lad, he works hard, he’s hard to play against, all the lads will tell you that in training.
“In the games he’s been playing, the friendlies we’ve been having, he’s been a handful for everybody.
“We played West Brom about 3-4 weeks ago and he played really well, so it was always in our minds to bring him on.
“But for him to get his first Premier League goal, because that was the only thing that was missing, that will give him a big boost of confidence and he can start showing what he’s all about.”
You can watch Dean’s full interview below…
