Aston Villa 1, Stoke City 0: Lisa Smith's big match verdict
Dec 21 2009 by Lisa Smith, Birmingham Mail
SANTA delivered Villa fans an early Christmas treat – a gift right up there with the season’s must-have toy and that to-die-for diamond necklace.
Another three points – and a hard-fought three points at that – ensured it will be a merry, merry festive season if your allegiance is to claret and blue.
And if having the big man in the red suit drop down your chimney with the present of your dreams wasn’t enough, bear in mind that this gift came on a day when others around them were far less fortunate.
Manchester United and Liverpool were both denied their wish-list while Santa gave Manchester City boss Mark Hughes his traditional hessian bag.
Villa had themselves ruined United’s day recently and now exorcised another ghost of Christmases past, defeating Stoke City thanks to a solitary goal from John Carew.
The fact Scrooge played a part when it came to goals did not matter as Martin O’Neill’s side secured sweet revenge over the team who had sparked the unravelling of their season last winter.
Villa had to dig deep for this win, however – their fourth Premier League victory in a row and their fourth consecutive clean sheet – to ensure the envy of their rivals.
Tony Pulis’ side were rough, tough and organised and in the end every bit as difficult to break down as the Red Devils had been a week ago.
O’Neill later said this had been his side’s toughest test of the season – tougher even than that win at United.
“I think it’s our best win of the season, I genuinely do, considering the exertions of the past week,” he said.
“To come again was fantastic. Stoke were very strong and we had to dig this one out from somewhere. There were times in the first half where we got it and played it and looked at our best. But at other times, we just had to grind, grind, grind and hang in there.”
Villa certainly didn’t have it easy and had to rely on luck as much as judgment.
The side, unchanged for the fourth consecutive week, had again started with Emile Heskey up front while Carlos Cuellar continued to keep James Collins out at centre-half.
