Dean Smith demands Aston Villa response
Dean Smith has warned his players they can’t afford another no-show as they prepare to welcome supporters back to Villa Park.
Saturday’s visit of Newcastle will be Villa’s first home match in front of a capacity crowd for more than 18 months.
Smith is demanding a considerably improved performance from his team as they look to kickstart their season following last weekend’s disappointing 3-2 defeat at Watford.
Villa now have back-to-back home matches in the Premier League, with Smith’s old club Brentford visiting on Saturday week.
The boss is eager for his players to make the most of home advantage. He said: “We are certainly going to need that. We can’t perform like we did at Watford in front of our own fans at Villa Park.
“The supporters travelled in their numbers on Saturday and will have been disappointed with that first half performance.”
