Aston Villa vs Sheffield Wednesday: Momentum the word for the Villans

So it was that Villa boss Steve Bruce and his players returned to training at Bodymoor Heath yesterday with the plaudits from Wednesday night’s win at Preston forgotten and the focus already switched to tomorrow’s visit of Sheffield Wednesday.

The general consensus, among both supporters and neutral observers, was that the performance at Deepdale rated as one of the most complete of Bruce’s near 13-month reign, providing further indication Villa are genuinely a force to be reckoned with this season.

All that will be quickly be forgotten, of course, should they fail to follow it up against Wednesday.

“Momentum, that is the word. You can see it now,” said on-loan winger Robert Snodgrass. “There are lads working really hard for each other. We’ve got men in the team.

“Then there are individual bits of quality from the younger lads, relying on them to get us the goals.

“We have a very tough game now at home to Sheffield Wednesday. They are a good side, They have firepower in the team. We just have to keep it going and keep building.

“We will be in front of a home crowd who have been terrific for us. The supporters were there in great number on Sunday at Blues and on Wednesday night at Preston, roaring us on. The lads appreciate it.”

The win at Preston saw strong individual performances all over the pitch though Villa’s teenage attacking duo, Josh Onomah and Keinan Davis, once more caught the eye.

Davis caused problems for the home defence all evening, while Onomah set-up Snodgrass to score Villa’s second just past the half-hour mark.

With 36-year-old John Terry marshalling the defence, Snodgrass believes the blend of experience and youth is serving Villa well. “You are seeing it on the pitch,” he said. “The manager gets the best out of players.

“Those lads (Davis and Onomah) are playing like two men up there, taking hits off the big centre-halves.

“That is what it takes to play at this level. The gaffer has no qualms about putting them in.”

“It’s man-management. I have said it many times, his man-management and how he gets the best out of people.

“You don’t have all these promotions and medals by not knowing what you are doing.

“The manager takes care of his squad and you are seeing it on the pitch.”

Onomah is being assessed after coming off in the closing stages at Deepdale with a groin problem.

Should the Tottenham loanee be passed fit, it is likely Bruce will stick with the same starting XI.

The manager made a big call by keeping Alan Hutton at left-back despite having Neil Taylor fit again following suspension.

Hutton rewarded him with another strong performance.

Bruce said: “How can I leave anyone out? This group of players deserve it. What a performance Alan Hutton put in again.”