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Dean Smith pleased with Aston Villa's start despite recent defeats

Dean Smith pleased with Aston Villa's start despite recent defeats
© Reuters
Villa go to Arsenal on Sunday aiming to get back to winning ways.

Boss Dean Smith insists Aston Villa's recent slip should not overshadow their progress this season.

Villa have suffered successive defeats after winning their opening four Premier League games.

They lost 4-3 to Southampton on Sunday, after being 4-0 down, having also lost 3-0 to Leeds.

Villa have more points now – 12 in six games – than they did after 12 matches last season and, ahead of Sunday's trip to Arsenal, Smith believes they remain in a good place.

"We still feel that we've had a good start (even if) the last two results have been disappointing," he said.

"The players are still confident, that's for sure, they want to put it right.

"We believe we have a really good squad and players that can play the way we want to play.

"There was a good reaction in the Southampton game, they showed an awful lot of character and played some really good football in the second half, but we can't give teams four-goal leads.

"They have started with good performances, so Mikel (Arteta) has done a fantastic job.

"It was a big win for us (last season) that helped us to retain our Premier League status, and we played them in pre-season, so we know a lot about them.

"It will be a really tough game, they had a really good result against Manchester United last week and Molde last night."

Forward Bertrand Traore is out for a couple of weeks after coming off in the first half of Sunday's defeat to the Saints with a groin injury.

Goalkeeper Tom Heaton has returned to full training after being out since January with a serious knee injury, although striker Wesley remains out with his own long-term knee issue.

"Bertrand came off and he'll be struggling for Sunday, he won't make it," Smith told a press conference.

"He'll definitely be back after the international break. Tom is in full training, he needs a few games.

"He's got a chance (of playing for the U23s against Burnley), we're waiting to see if that will go ahead and if it does, I expect him to play."

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Thomas Partey pictured in Arsenal gear on October 17, 2020
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Today's games header
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1Arsenal36265588286083
2Manchester CityMan City35257387335482
3Liverpool36239481384378
4Aston Villa36207973532067
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs351861169581160
6Newcastle UnitedNewcastle351751378562256
7Chelsea351591170591154
8Manchester UnitedMan Utd35166135255-354
9West Ham UnitedWest Ham361310135670-1449
10Bournemouth36139145263-1148
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton351211125357-447
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves36137164960-1146
13Fulham36128165155-444
14Crystal Palace361110154957-843
15Everton36129153849-1137
16Brentford3699185260-836
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3689194563-1829
18Luton TownLuton3668224978-2926
19Burnley3659223974-3524
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd36372635100-6516


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