Saido Berahino has admitted that Aston Villa were “brilliant” in their 2-2 draw against West Brom at The Hawthorns last Friday night.
The ex-Baggies striker and his Stoke team-mates are preparing to face Dean Smith’s side at Villa Park on Saturday as they look to extend their current unbeaten run in the Championship to nine games.
However Berahino admits that Smith has done a good job since replacing Steve Bruce as Aston Villa manager and suggests that Stoke will have to be at their best to pick up any points when they travel to the Second City this week.
“They have shown their qualities since Dean Smith went in there,” Berahino said, as quoted by the Stoke Sentinel.
“They’ve been a threat going forward and have also defended really well.
“I watched their game (a 2-2 draw at West Brom on Friday night) and they were brilliant, but we have to find their weaknesses.”
OPINION
Berahino will have surely seen some weaknesses that Villa have because a team without flaws does not concede two goals. Stoke will have learned that Villa’s weakness is in the wide areas. Both of West Brom’s goals came from crosses on Alan Hutton’s side of the defence on Monday night. Harvey Barnes left the Scotsman eating his dust before his cross was hammered home by Dwight Gayle and a beautifully-placed pass by Chris Brunt left Matt Phillips plenty of time and space to cross the ball for Jay Rodriguez’s controversial equaliser. Stoke should also know that Orjan Nyland is one of the worst goalkeepers Villa have had in a long-time and if Berahino wants to get himself on the scorehseet this week he should have a shot on goals whenever he gets sight it. Nyland is awful and even if a shot is straight at him, he is likely to spill the ball for an onrushing attacker.