Aston Villa legend Peter Withe tips Gabby Agbonlahor to net record tally of goals

Dec 26 2009 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail

GABBY Agbonlahor goes gunning for the Gunners again tomorrow with prestigious predecessor Peter Withe tipping him to net a ‘score’ of goals this season.

Agbonlahor set Villa on the way to their memorable 2-0 win at Arsenal last season and already has eight Premier League goals going into tomorrow’s match.

And Withe, the last player to score 20 league goals for Villa, in the title-winning 1980-81 season, believes the Brummie has a good chance of reaching the milestone.

Agbonlahor broke one of Withe’s long-standing records a fortnight ago by becoming the first Villa match-winner at Old Trafford since the European Cup hero’s brace in November 1983.

“In sport, records are there to be broken,” said Withe, who now lives in Perth, Australia.

“Gabby took his goal very well and he is capable of scoring plenty more, whether it’s with his right foot, his left foot or his head.

“At this stage in 1980-81 I’d only scored six, so he’s already ahead of that.

“He’s a young lad who is still learning and I’m certain there’s a lot more to come from him.

“He’s one of those players the opposition never want to leave in a one-on-one situation because he will always beat you for pace.

“Gabby is the sort of player who will always score goals because he gets into such good positions. He always gets good service, too, from players like Ashley Young and James Milner.

“I had the same sort of service from Tony Morley and Des Bremner and before that from John Robertson at Nottingham Forest.

‘‘Now Robbo is at Villa he can advise the wingers and Gabby obviously benefits from that.”