Shropshire Star

Aston Villa's Moussa Diaby insists there is plenty more to come

Record signing Moussa Diaby has promised more to come after finally breaking his Villa Park scoring duck.

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Aston Villa's Moussa Diaby

The £43million forward netted Villa’s second in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Luton, his third league goal of the season and first for more than two months.

Both of his previous strikes had come on the road with Diaby experiencing frustration at home, having seen an excellent finish chalked off for a marginal offside call in last month’s win over Crystal Palace.

Now he is off the mark in B6, the summer arrival from Bayer Leverkusen is determined to add more to help Unai Emery’s team maintain their push near the top of the Premier League.

Diaby said: “I am very happy to score my first goal at home in front of the fans. I had been waiting for this goal a long time.

“You know I scored two goals before but they were both ruled offside. On Sunday it went in and I am very happy. I think I can do better for the next few games.”

Diaby’s goal helped Villa record their 12th consecutive home Premier League win to remain fifth in the standings. They next visit Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Diaby continued: “It’s 12 games in a row. I think Villa Park is a good stadium, with big fans and we have to continue in this way.

“I like the Premier League. It is my first year here. I think I can learn more and try to do my best every game.”

Villa’s home run is their best since 1983, with boss Emery pointing to back-to-back 4-2 defeats to Leicester and Arsenal in February as a key turning point.

He explained: “We conceded a lot of goals and played those matches not under our control like I want. It was a key moment.

“I was demanding of the players and in the structure we are creating more and more. After those matches it is coming in a really good way.

“At the beginning as well it was not easy to try and understand with our supporters the idea we are trying to create. Now, we have the consequences progressively of winning and everybody can understand the idea.”

n Former Villa loanee Danny Drinkwater has announced his retirement from football at the age of 33.