Dean Smith is determined to get back to winning ways as Aston Villa prepare for Sunday’s derby clash against West Bromwich Albion.
Villa fell to a 2-1 defeat against Premier League leaders Manchester City in midweek, coming after a cruel injury-time reverse at Liverpool followed the club’s 3-1 victory over Fulham.
Smith is focused on getting back on track this weekend as midlands neighbours West Brom arrive at Villa Park looking to boost their hopes of top-flight survival.
Head coach Smith said: “We know they have to come to Villa Park to try and win the game so we know they’re not going to sit back.
“They’re fighting for every point they can get; we are as well.
“We also know this is a derby so we’re looking forward to the game and we want to get back to winning ways ourselves.”
Villa’s memorable Play-Off victory over the Baggies in 2019 set the club on course for Wembley success and promotion back to the Premier League.
And despite fans being unable to attend this weekend, local bragging rights and three points remain very much up for grabs.
“Recent West Brom games, we’ve had the two Play-Off Semi-Finals, where the atmosphere at both stadiums was electric,” Smith added.
“It’s where the fans will be missed but we all know what’s at stake.
“West Bromwich Albion need to go and win to give them a chance of staying up and we need to go and win to make sure we finish this season as well as we started it.”
Villa triumphed 3-0 at The Hawthorns in this season’s reverse fixture, with Anwar El Ghazi bagging a brace – ensuring he has netted four goals in the last five meetings between the two clubs.
The Villans are looking to secure their first league double over Albion since 2008/09.
But Smith knows his side will come up against a much-changed West Brom outfit to the one in December, which marked Sam Allardyce’s first match in charge.
“A team who goes to Chelsea and wins 5-2, then you know they’ve certainly improved, so it’ll be a different West Bromwich Albion to what we faced at The Hawthorns earlier in the season,” he said.
“But we have to concentrate on ourselves, we’ve just faced probably the best team in the world at the moment and come very close to getting something out of it.
“Now we’ve got to face West Bromwich Albion in a derby.
“The players know the importance of getting back to winning ways.”