Former Aston Villa man Stiliyan Petrov has heaped praise on Jack Grealish for his display in the Second City derby.
The Villa captain was attacked by an individual from the Birmingham City stands early in the match, but picked himself up and scored the winner after the interval.
Posting on his personal Twitter after the game, Petrov, who played 219 times for the Villans, said: “The picture says it all…Passion, desire and class.
“You stood up and responded in the right manner! Proud of you, Jacko.”
The picture says it all…Passion, desire and class. You stood up and responded in the right manner! Proud of you, Jacko ??????@JackGrealish1 @AVFCOfficial ?#UTV #avfc pic.twitter.com/04C1B160TA
— Stiliyan Petrov (@StanPetrov19) March 10, 2019
OPINION
A lot will be made of the unsightly incident surrounding Grealish in the aftermath of Villa’s win, but that shouldn’t take anything away from the breathtaking performance he put in in the centre of the park for the Villans. He is, without a doubt, one of the finest players in the Championship, and he could definitely do a job in the Premier League. The way he glides past players in midfield and releases those around him is so crucial to the way that Villa play, and ever since he has been handed the armband by Dean Smith he has been an exemplary figure. He has added a maturity and intelligence to his game that really sets him apart from his peers. On top of that, his work rate is exceptional and he spent just as much time chasing Birmingham players back and recovering possession as he did going the other way. His goal was wonderfully taken, and the passion he showed in the aftermath proves beyond any reasonable doubt that Grealish is Mr. Aston Villa.