Dean Smith: Two points dropped for Aston Villa

Ahmed Elmohamady’s 83rd minute equaliser, cancelling out Dwight Gayle’s opener at St James’s Park, means Villa are now only in the bottom three on goal difference.

But after watching his team waste several good chances to take the lead in the first-half and then go close to winning it at the death, Smith was left to rue a missed opportunity.

Villa now face a daunting run of matches against Wolves, Liverpool and Manchester United.

Smith said: “It feels like two points dropped. I thought we were the much better team in the first-half and if we score one of the chances we have it would have been tough for them to come back.

“But when you go a goal down and you are having to chase it. We got a goal back and threw the kitchen sink of them at the end.”

Former Albion loanee Gayle fired the hosts in front just moments after coming off the bench midway through the second half.

The 29-year-old pounced on a lapse of concentration by Villa defender Ezri Konsa to score his first Premier League goal for more than two years.

Smith added: “Going a goal down in the manner we did was a kick in the stomach. It was a lack of concentration from Ezri.

“But we threw everything at them. The two subs came up with the goal, Conor Hourihane with a great cross and Elmo with the header. They got Ezri out of the do-do a bit.

“I’ve had a bit of a pop at him after the game. He is a young player but when we are in this position we are in and when we have done video work just hours before the game, he needs to do better.

“We played well enough and created enough to win the game. There are mixed emotions.”

The goal was Elmohamady’s first in the Premier League since netting for Hull v Chelsea in March, 2015.

He said: “It’s a big goal for us but I think we should have had the three points. We controlled the game, especially in the first half, we had some big chances. Trezeguet should have scored but we’ll take the point

"One thing we have been working on is the set-pieces, for us and against us. We’ve conceded a lot this season but we’ve been solid in the past few games and today it has worked for us. Thankfully, I came on and scored.

“We have eight more games to go, it’s hard but we’re all together for it. Like the gaffer said, we don’t want to go out of the division. Aston Villa is a massive club, everyone wants to keep the club in the Premier League.”