Analysis: Aston Villa heading toward the play-offs in good shape - despite Norwich defeat

That was certainly the feeling at Villa Park on Sunday, where the home side found themselves on the wrong end of a scoreline for the first time since February, yet could still claim to have maintained some momentum heading into the play-offs and the first instalment of their showdown with Albion next Saturday.

Of course, had he been able to write the script himself, Dean Smith would ideally have liked to sign off by beating the team who, courtesy of Sheffield United’s draw at Stoke, were destined to end the season as champions no matter the result here.

Yet even allowing for the defeat which followed, there were plenty of positives for Villa’s head coach to find, both in the performance and the manner in which several fringe players stepped up to adequately fill the space vacated by those rested ahead of the bigger challenges to come.

This XI featured no Jack Grealish, no John McGinn and no Tyrone Mings, yet still might, with a little more fortune in the final third, have claimed Villa’s 11th victory in 12 games.

As it was, Mario Vrancic’s late strike ensured the Canaries became the only team to complete the season’s double over Smith’s team.

That was after Teemu Pukki, the Championship’s top scorer, had earlier netted his 29th of the season to break the deadlock, with Jonathan Kodjia promptly bagging his third in four appearances to square things up.

The performance of the latter was among the biggest plus points for Smith, who also saw Henri Lansbury slot neatly into Villa’s midfield and Kortney Hause, in his first appearance for nearly a month, get 90 valuable minutes into the legs.

Perhaps most impressive was the manner in which the hosts, despite five changes and the absence of their most influential stars, were still able to play with the vim and vigour which has characterised performances during the previous 12 games. Only the magic provided by a Grealish, McGinn or Tammy Abraham was missing.

All three will be back in the starting line-up when the real business gets underway against Albion five days from now. If there was a disappointment for Villa, it came in the wing play which remains their most inconsistent suit.

Anwar El Ghazi, an unused substitute here, is a shoo-in to play against the Baggies. That left Albert Adomah and Andre Green in a duel for the other spot which, by the end of 90 minutes here, neither had emphatically won.

Adomah is more likely to get the nod, with Green having tended to do his best work this season off the bench.

Then again, Smith might be tempted to give Kodjia another go out wide, such is his current form.

The Ivory Coast international could not have done more to stake his claim while Abraham has been absent for the past three games.

In the first-half yesterday, in particular, he was Villa’s best creative outlet, regularly digging into his bag of tricks to test Norwich’s defences.

After scoring, he sent a header flying just over the bar, while Canaries keeper Tim Krul was then forced to save with his legs after Kodjia had linked up superbly with Adomah.

Question marks over the Ivory Coast international’s defensive capabilities, particularly when utilised on the flanks, means he is likely to begin the play-offs back on the bench.

Even so, there can be no disputing he is currently in his best form for two years and may yet have a say in shaping Villa’s destiny over the coming weeks.

Kodjia’s goal on 14 minutes sparked the hosts to life after a difficult start in which Norwich might have scored more than the one they managed through Pukki.

Marco Stiepermann should really have put them ahead inside 30 seconds when Onel Hernandez escaped Alan Hutton down Villa’s right and delivered a cross which the German, from 12 yards out, hit wide of the far post.

The Canaries, unchanged as they hunted the title, were in command and the opener duly arrived on seven minutes when Hernandez stretched to divert Emiliano Buendia’s pass into the path of Pukki, who could not miss from six yards out.

At that point there was a fear the hosts might be destined for a drubbing but Kodjia settled his team considerably when he arrived unmarked to knock Conor Hourihane’s free-kick beyond Krul.

From then until half-time Villa had the better of it but could not find another goal. Max Aarons dived bravely to deny Green, while Hourihane sent a blistering effort just off target from 25 yards out.

The hosts continued to press early in the second half but could never quite carve out a clear-cut chance.

Instead it was Norwich who were looking more clinical and Jed Steer was forced to save smartly from Stiepermann, before Vrancic took advantage of rare time and space on the edge of the box to drive home the winner.

All that was left was for Villa to take the acclaim of their supporters, many of whom remained behind, on the traditional end of season lap of appreciation, before forming a guard of honour to welcome Norwich back out onto the pitch to collect the Championship trophy.

The Canaries were relegated alongside both Villa and Newcastle three years ago but like the Magpies will be back playing Premier League football next season.

Villa’s hopes of joining them remain very much alive. Their unbeaten run might be over but they could surely not be approaching the play-offs – and Albion – in better shape.

Let battle commence.