Dean Smith: Aston Villa are over Jack Grealish

Villa kicked off the Premier League campaign with a 3-2 loss to the Hornets on Saturday, being made to pay for a poor first-half performance in particular.

Smith, though, gave short shrift to the idea his team might not be over the departure of Grealish after the ex-skipper’s £100million move to Manchester City.

“We are over Jack,” he said. “He is not here, he is not our player.

“The players are fully aware of that and we have moved on.

“The fans have had to move on as well, he is not our player.”

Villa fielded four of their five summer signings at Watford with winger Leon Bailey providing the biggest positive after coming off the bench in the second half.

The Jamaica international provided the cross from which John McGinn reduced the deficit.

Danny Ings also scored a penalty as Villa fell short.

On Bailey’s impact off the bench, Smith said: “He showed little glimpses of what he can do.

“I thought Bertrand Traore did the same.

“I thought JJ (Jacob Ramsey) was one of our better players when he came on as well.

“We have got a lot more depth this season and we can change games from the bench.”

Smith was left to rue a first-half display which saw Watford score twice – Emmanuel Dennis and Ismaila Sarr both finding the net.

Cucho Hernandez put the Hornets three to the good before McGinn and Ings struck for the visitors.

Villa host Newcastle this weekend and Smith added: “We made it hard for ourselves.

“We were really slow and pedestrian on the ball. Once we broke their line, we allowed them to get back behind the ball again and make it difficult.

“We’d spoke about getting the ball wide and playing balls under them.

“We never did that and tried to thread it through.

“They ended up having the numbers in there, winning the ball and breaking on us.

“That’s what was disappointing for me.

“We’ve got another game next week against Newcastle.

“We can’t perform like that in front of our home fans.”