Saido Berahino goes from villain to hero as West Brom sink Aston Villa
Aston Villa 0 - 1 West BromAway team scorers
Saido Berahino 39
In the fixture that ignited Tim Sherwood’s reign at Villa Park last season, Saido Berahino struck the winning goal that promises to launch his rehabilitation with West Brom.
Berahino diverted in the only goal late in the first half to send Villa to their second successive derby defeat three days before they host Birmingham in the Capital One Cup.
Just as Villa’s campaign and Sherwood’s status had lift off after West Brom were beaten here in successive derbies six months ago, in the Premier League then the FA Cup, so Berahino showed his desire to be reintegrated into Tony Pulis’s camp in the best possible fashion.
Just 17 days after he tweeted his threat to go on strike, Berahino was recalled to the West Brom line-up after successful team meetings among the players who celebrated with the refusenik in a show of unity. The 22-year-old went over to the delighted Albion supporters at the end of the game to celebrate. The marriage is back on; for now.
West Brom started the game with steam-train tempo. With a fresh attacking midfield of Berahino, James Morrison and James McClean, they immediately looked invigorated compared with recent sluggish form. Indeed, Salomon Rondon could and probably should have scored after 70 seconds. Morrison manoeuvred the ball superbly to set up Chris Brunt to cross from wide on the left to the near post, where the Venezuelan got in first to head goalwards only for Brad Guzan to prove himself an alert starter with an excellent parrying save.
Jonny Evans headed just over from a corner and Pulis was like a coiled spring on the touchline, all thwarted celebrations and recharged belief. For the first time this season he had his preferred team out on the field and West Brom looked capable of giving their season the shot in the arm it has needed.
Villa came back well in the middle of the half, with Gabby Agbonlahor brilliantly setting up Carles Gil only for Claudio Yacob to bravely block the Spaniard’s shot, but still Albion countered with zest and menace.
The excellent Darren Fletcher eased his way past Ashley Westwood on the edge of the penalty area only for Guzan to dive and save superbly again but then, six minutes before the interval, came the pivotal moment.
After a patient build-up, in which Jordan Amavi’s defensive weakness was highlighted as he subsided in a tackle with Craig Dawson and so allowed McClean to cross, Rondon laid the ball back for Morrison to shoot from 20 yards and there was Berahino to divert the ball home. His celebration was unbridled and unrestrained, and he was mobbed by his team-mates before running back to the halfway line to hear the Albion fans singing his trademark song with gusto.
Sherwood responded at half-time by replacing the ineffective Scott Sinclair with Rudy Gestede, who has been struggling with the unenviable job of replacing Christian Benteke. Villa were much more dominant afterwards, with West Brom forced to sit back and soak up pressure.
Alan Hutton’s cross struck Berahino on the side on the right-hand side of the area, leading to appeals for a penalty, but from Gil’s pulled-back free-kick, Jack Grealish dragged his shot wide.
Then Micah Richards headed the ball home but only after Martin Atkinson had blown for a foul on Grealish. It was that kind of day for Villa who have now won just once – coming from behind against Notts County in the Capital One Cup –since the opening day.
Guardian
