Starlet happy to shoulder burden

GABRIEL AGBONLAHOR insists he is happy to remain Aston Villa’s lone ranger as they continue their charge towards a Champions League place.

Agbonlahor has been deployed on his own up front by manager Martin O’Neill since John Carew was sidelined by a back problem.

But the England player has revelled in the role and is claiming his 11th goal of the campaign during Saturday’s 2-1 win over West Brom, although it has been officially credited as an own goal by goalkeeper Scott Carson.

This win, set up by Curtis Davies’ neat early header, extended Villa’s unbeaten league run to nine games and kept them three points ahead of Arsenal in the battle for fourth spot.

“The way we set out with 4-5-1 is more of an away formation — but it’s been working – so why change it?” Agbonlahor asked.

“It can be a lot of responsibility on my shoulders but I’ve played it for the England Under-21s so I’m used to it now and I can do a job there.

“I think I’ve had to improve parts of my game. When you are up there on your own, you’ve got to try and hold the ball up. You’ve got to be strong and lead from the front.

“It’s not nice when you don’t get the support but, when you get the support from the other players, it’s good because you get a lot of chances. I like being the one who is expected to score a lot of goals. It doesn’t worry me at all. It makes me want to play better.”

Villa are one of the in-form teams in the league with 21 points from the last 27 but Agbonlahor is adamant Villa are thinking no higher than fourth spot.

He said: “We need to keep winning games. We have been getting through tough games and winning them and this was another one.

“We are keeping our heads, trying to keep the pressure on Arsenal, trying to get into fourth position.

“We are just wanting to push on. If we get fourth it is a bonus. If not, we have still had a decent season.”

West Brom skipper Jonathan Greening is confident Carson will bounce back from his error which ultimately cost them the match.

He said: “Scott has saved us plenty of times this year. He has been a top man and a top goalkeeper and he will be a top England goalkeeper for the rest of his career. He has the character to bounce back. He has got great enthusiasm for training and nothing like that will bother him.”

ASTON VILLA (4-4-2): Friedel 7, Reo-Coker 7, Davies 8, Laursen 7, L Young 6, Sidwell 6 (Cuellar 86, 5), Petrov 5, Barry 6, Milner 6, Agbonlahor 6, A Young 7.

Subs Not Used: Guzan, Harewood, Delfouneso, Knight, Shorey, Gardner.

WEST BROM (4-4-2): Carson 6, Hoefkens 6, Barnett 5, Olsson 6, Robinson 5, Morrison 6 (Brunt 65, 5), Koren 6, Greening 6, Valero 6 (Kim 77, 5), Simpson 7, Moore 3 (Bednar 46, 5).

Subs Not Used: Kiely, Cech, Beattie, Donk.

REFEREE: Steve Bennett (Kent) 7: Spot on not to award West Brom a late penalty for Ashley Young’s tackle on Roman Bednar.

MATCH RATING: *** Villa were fortunate to go ahead but, once they did, their performance was impressive.