Dean Smith hopes Aston Villa’s “scary” pace can terrify Arsenal again

Dean Smith hopes Aston Villa's “scary” pace can terrify Arsenal again this weekend.

Villa stunned Arsenal 3-0 away in November as Jack Grealish, Ross Barkley and two-goal Ollie Watkins excelled.

Watkins' second and Villa's third was from a lightening counter-attack.

It saw keeper Emiliano Martinez take a cross before rolling the ball to Grealish to spring clear and tee up Watkins to net 12 seconds later.

The goal was even quicker than Mo Salah's second at West Ham last Sunday when Liverpool scored 13 seconds after Andrew Robertson headed a corner clear.

Now Villa boss Smith wants another exhilarating attacking display from skipper Grealish and the duo of Chelsea loanee Barkley and £28million record striker Watkins, who both arrived in the close season.

Smith said: “I think our recruitment drive in the summer has helped with Ollie Watkins as a good counter-attacking force and Ross Barkley.

“Jack is also getting better and better.

“I think the three of them were heavily involved at Arsenal away and they have brought a different side to our game.

“Bertrand Traore, Trezeguet and Anwar El Ghazi as well.

“More pace in the team is certainly scarier for the opposition defence.”

But Smith admits he expects Arsenal to be a different proposition on Saturday to the side Villa embarrassed at the Emirates.

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has since revitalised Arsenal by turning to homegrown starlets like Emile Smith Rowe, 20.

A midweek 2–1 loss at Wolves, where David Luiz and Bernd Leno were dismissed, was just Arsenal's first reverse in eight Premier League games.

Smith added: “I believe Arsenal are in a better place now than they were when we played them last time.

“They have brought some younger players into the team who are doing well.

“Emile Smith Rowe being one who has performed really well.

“They have been a little bit changed in terms of that personnel.

“That in itself will be a different team that comes to Villa Park.

“They have certainly had an upturn in their form as well.

“But they had a defeat in midweek at Wolves and two red cards so two key players are out but we still expect a lot from Arsenal.”

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