Aston Villa's Carew sends out warning to Premier League defenders
Apr 14 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail
VILLA’S man-of-the-moment John Carew has warned Premier League defenders that he is ominously close to getting back to his best.
And the Norwegian powerhouse reckons he would have smashed the 20-goal barrier for Villa this season but for his long-term injury lay-off.
Carew moved level with Gabby Agbonlahor at the top of Villa’s scoring charts by taking his tally to 13 in Sunday’s 3-3 draw against Everton.
“It’s good,” said Carew. “Because of the injury it’s been a lot of goals in very few games.
“If I wasn’t out for three or four months then it could have been a lot more. It could have been 20, easily, but you never know.
“I’m just happy to be back,” he added. “I had quite a lot of goals before I got injured with my back and now I’ve just continued from the first games I started to play and it’s good.
“I lost about 20 games which is a pity.”
Carew, who was sidelined between late November and late January with a back problem, has scored six goals in six starts and six substitute appearances since his return.
And the 29-year-old targetman believes being spared Norway’s gruelling journey to South Africa for a recent friendly has preserved his fitness.
“The national team had a trip to South Africa and I told them about my back so they let me avoid that trip,” said Carew.
