Aston Villa v Stoke: Ashley Young insists Villa can bounce back

Feb 28 2009 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail

ASHLEY Young believes Villa will bounce back from the loss of their 13-game unbeaten record against Chelsea.

Villa take on struggling Stoke City at Villa Park tomorrow looking to make amends for their defeat at The Britannia Stadium in August.

Villa were beaten that day by a magnificent Ricardo Fuller goal and then an injury-time winner from Mamady Sidibe from a Rory Delap throw which sandwiched Martin Laursen’s late leveller.

Martin O’Neill’s side are desperate to return to winning ways in the Premier League with three tough games against Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United on the horizon.

Winger Young has no doubt that they will get the better of Stoke.

“Because of the character we’ve got, the team bonding and the team spirit we’ve got, it’s fairly easy to get us back to winning ways after three disappointing results,” he said.

“Everybody in the squad has got a winning mentality. It’s not going to change now, and we will not take us a step back. We will always be stepping forward.

“It was disappointing that we lost last Saturday but we have the character to get back to winning ways.

“I’ve got every hope and every belief that we are going to bounce back. I am confident of that.”