Smith Hopes Five-Star Display Can Lift Villa

Dean Smith believes Aston Villa’s 5-1 thrashing of Norwich City at Carrow Road will give his side “an awful lot of confidence” in future away games.

Club record-signing Wesley struck twice inside the opening half-hour and the Brazilian should have had a hat-trick just before half time but his penalty – and rebound – were brilliantly saved by third-choice Canaries goalkeeper Michael McGovern.

Jack Grealish scored his first goal of the season in the second half, before Conor Hourihane and Douglas Luiz added Villa’s fourth and fifth.

Related: Canaries Facing Defensive Crisis

Canaries substitute Josip Drmic grabbed a late reply but Smith’s side recorded their first away win of the season in emphatic fashion.

Villa had struggled on the road this season in the Premier League, suffering defeats at Crystal Palace, Arsenal and Tottenham, with Smith admitting his side had been frustrated in the last few matches.

But the 48-year-old insisted that the results have not reflected the side’s good performances so he felt the five goals at Norwich is “probably what we’ve deserved over the last few weeks”.

Smith added: “It’s one game at a time like we’ve always said and it’s pleasing that we’ve put in that performance and got that result today. “To come here and do that will give the lads an awful lot of confidence going into other away games.”

The victory dragged Villa out of the relegation places and up to 15th position on eight points from as many games – just a point clear of struggling Everton in 18th.