Colin Calderwood hails duo as Aston Villa win five straight

In-form winger Snodgrass earned Villa a fifth straight league victory with a stunning 90th minute winner, goalkeeper Johnstone having earlier kept the Blades at bay thanks to a string of saves.

The result moved Villa up to third in the Championship, now just a point of second placed Derby.

Calderwood said: “It’s a funny thing how you can be so happy at the end of the game when, without the late goal, we would have probably been drilling down on a couple of players and demanding improvement.

“We don’t wash over that but you don’t want to take the joy away from what is an excellent result.

“We don’t know what the end is. But you need to get a good foothold and this helps us.

“There is certainly a bit more noise (in the dressing room). If anyone has Premier League noise it is Robert Snodgrass.

“He adds to that in a Champions League style! That character, personality is an attribute in a group. We are heading in the right direction.”

Johnstone had twice denied George Baldock, while Jack O’Connell hit the bar as the Blades enjoyed the best of it prior to Snodgrass striking late.

Calderwood, who conducted press duties while boss Steve Bruce dealt with a family illness, added: “It wasn’t as we would have wanted in the first-half. We were better in the second half.

“We have been able to win it because we stayed in it during the first-half.

“Sam Johnstone played really well. They are the moments, when it is not perfect, you have to get through. We are finding ways to win games.

“It’s one of those really good away victories. No-one will ever remember the level of performance but the result is excellent.

“Sheffield United will feel aggrieved at not taking anything from the game. They are always a threat, they put you to the sword.

“We found ourselves on the back foot. We dug in, then started to work a bit harder.”