Aston Villa

Aston Villa

Premier League • England

Aston Villa caretaker boss ‘had to pinch himself’ after record win; Ivan Toney slams Brentford’s ’embarassing’ performance

Seb Sternik
Aston Villa caretaker manager Aaron Danks on the touchline during the Premier League match at Villa Park

Aston Villa caretaker manager Aaron Danks made history as his side powered to a 4-0 win over Brentford, just days after the sacking of Steven Gerrard. 

Danks became the first ever Villa manager to win his debut game by four or more goals. Leon Bailey scored the opener, while Danny Ings bagged a brace to hand his side a 3-0 lead after just 14 minutes.

Ollie Watkins added a fourth in the second half as Villa ended their four-match winless run.

Speaking after the game, Danks told BBC Sport: “Really happy. I thought the boys from the opening five minutes they played with intensity and sustained that. I am really, really pleased with the game and performance.

“Going into the game you always have a bit of nerves and apprehension but the moment I was on the touchline I was just focused on the performance. To see the fans and players at the end it was a nice feeling.

“It was a really worked set piece off the training ground for the first goal so credit to the staff for that and the players for executing it.

“I had to pinch myself. We asked for energy, we asked for lots of endeavour and work rate and the boys brought that. The gameplan was a lot of phycological stuff as well, about our attitude and application and togetherness.

“We felt for a few weeks this was coming. We had put some good performances in but the goals were just missing. Today we were clinical and ruthless and today is the result you get from that.

“I have been asked to lead the team at the moment and will continue to do that and will step forward Monday morning to prepare the team as we go and until I hear otherwise it is full focus and energy on that.”

Aston Villa won the game after 14 minutes

Brentford suffered their second defeat of this magnitude in four games. Thomas Frank’s men fell to a 5-1 defeat at Newcastle at the start of the month.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the Dane said: “First of all congratulations to Villa with a deserved win. They have been struggling so Aaron Danks and his coaching staff have done a good. job.

“We knew they would come with energy. We should have done better with the set piece for the first goal but it was a well played set piece. It was game over after 14 minutes but we never gave up.

“We have come back from 2-0 down twice this season, we know we are capable of that. The big thing in football is no matter what happens stay disciplined. Stay focused and don’t make mistakes but unfortunately we didn’t do that today.”

Ivan Toney slams performance

Brentford’s disappointing performance was underlined in Toney’s post-match interview.

The forward said: “Shambles, to be honest. Shambles. They fully deserved the result and it could have been more. We were like a bunch of kids out there. I don’t mind losing games but not like that. Embarrassing performance from the boys.

“We knew what they were about, we knew they had quality throughout the team. They put in a performance today and deserved to win.

“Fifteen minutes in, 3-0 down. That cannot happen in a Premier League game. We had it against Newcastle and we bounced back so hopefully we can do that again.”

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