Aaron Danks for Prime Minister anyone? If this was anything to go by, they could do with the Aston Villa caretaker manager’s leadership skills at 10 Downing Street.
The first-team coach had only been in charge since Steven Gerrard’s dismissal late on Thursday night, but in a short space of time he unified the claret-and blue half of Birmingham to inspire a stunning upturn in fortunes.
Danks wasted no time in fixing his ailing team who responded in impressive fashion, to register a morale-boosting victory, thanks to Leon Bailey’s opener after 63 seconds, Danny Ings’ brace and Ollie Watkins’ first goal since mid-August.
“It’s been a rollercoaster of a few days,” Danks said after what had all the hallmarks of a perfect audition for the manager’s post but he sidestepped talk about his future. “I’ve been asked to step forward and lead the team with a group of staff and we’ll keep doing that until told otherwise.
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Danks set the tone for a vibrant display beforehand by reinstating Emiliano Buendia into the Aston Villa midfield.
Leander Dendoncker made the most of his first start for his new club, in place of captain John McGinn, while Matty Cash returned to starting duties instead of Jan Bednarek as Danks rang the changes following the 3-0 defeat at Fulham.
Dendoncker added stability to midfield but the club’s successful appeal against Douglas Luiz’s red card at Craven Cottage was more telling as the Brazilian turned out to be the game’s outstanding player.
He dominated midfield and the crunching tackle on Mathias Jensen that left the Brentford playmaker writhing in agony late midway through the first half spoke volumes but by then he had already ensured the game was won.
Luiz got Villa on to the front foot right away and people were still taking their seats when Danks celebrated the first goal under his watch as Bailey thumped home from 12 yards after Luiz exchanged passes with Buendia following a corner to tee up the winger.
With Brentford’s defence at sixes and sevens, Ings doubled the lead on seven minutes, slotting home at the near-post after the evergreen Ashley Young sent Bailey forward and his pull-back was driven home.
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Ings soon scored his second from the penalty spot in front of the Holte End after Kristoffer Ajer pulled Tyrone Mings’ shirt at a corner and the striker sent expertly David Raya the wrong way.
Watkins got in on the goalscoring act just before the hour mark, although it took him three attempts to beat Raya following Bailey’s brilliant cross to end a run of nine games without a goal.
Brentford struggled to get a look-in and always looked vulnerable on the counter-attack, thanks mainly to the 37-year-old Young’s boyish enthusiasm as Danks succeeded where Gerrard had failed and got an attacking tune out of Villa.
“I just want players to express and enjoy themselves and get the best out of people I work with,” Danks added. “As a local lad it was a very enjoyable performance but also I’ve been really close with the players who pulled together and played with energy and purpose.”
Brentford manager Thomas Frank, linked with the Villa vacancy, was in no mood to speculate on his future or a mooted new deal with the Bees.
“Right now the only thing I feel is pain inside my body and all the rumours, one way or another, I’m not taking too much time over,” he said. “I have unfinished business at Brentford. I have a job I’m glad to have and that’s all I’m focused on.”
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