Aston Villa Academy: Under-21s eyeing up play-off spots after impressive Newcastle victory
Aston Villa Under-21s started their 2023 calendar year with a convincing 2-0 win over Newcastle United in the Premier League 2, which takes Tony Carss’ side within two points of the play-off positions.
Centre-back Josh Feeney continued his fine form this season with a well-taken first-half goal, before a flying start after the break saw 20-year-old Declan Frith net his first goal of the season and seal a huge three points in the context of Villa’s season.
The Young Lions began the night eighth in the table after three wins, three draws and four defeats from their first ten matches, but leapfrogged their opponents with victory at the Blue Flames Sports Ground.
Local rivals West Brom now lie a mere two points above Villa in fifth place – albeit with two games in hand – with Norwich and Nottingham Forest a further two clear of the Baggies. But with Carss’ side high on confidence following an unbeaten run of four games, they are now the most in-form team in the division.
What was most impressive from the dominant display in the North East was the performance of the back-five, in particular, young goalkeeper Oliwier Zych, who was on hand to deny Isaac Westendorf with a stunning save as Newcastle threw bodies forward in the latter stages of the game.
The back-to-back clean sheets picked up by Villa in their wins over Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle are a brilliant foundation for a potential assault on the upper echelons of the league.
After shipping goals for fun early on in the season, including six against West Brom, five against Portsmouth, and three against both Middlesbrough and Stoke City, credit must go to Carss and his coaching team for the recent turnaround.
With attacking stars such as Tommy O’Reilly, Hayden Lindley and 16-year-old Kadan Young among the Young Lions’ ranks, scoring goals was never going to be a problem this season, but if Villa can continue to keep them out at the back, a playoff spot is by no means out of the equation.
In other Aston Villa news, Rachel Daly should be played as centre-forward for the Lionesses in 2023 after her stunning campaign in the West Midlands.