Sunday 25 November 2018 17:44, UK
Jack Grealish has labelled his goal in Sunday's 4-2 win over Birmingham the best moment of his Aston Villa career.
Villa had been trailing to Lukas Jutkiewicz's strike, only for the home team to turn the game on its head with two goals in two first-half minutes at Villa Park.
And it was the second of those strikes - a rare Grealish header - that sent Dean Smith's team in ahead at the break, a moment the Birmingham-born midfielder will never forget.
"Ever since I was a little kid at school, these were the games I dreamed of playing in and I am lucky enough to play in it," he told Sky Sports.
"But to score just brings it to another level and it is probably the favourite moment of my career so far.
"I do not even think I have scored a header in my life, but Albert [Adomah] put a great ball in at the back stick and I could not miss really. When it went in I was over the moon."
Grealish was also quick to sing Smith's praises after the game, crediting the new manager with the club's recent turnaround in fortunes that has seen them rise to eighth in the table.
"He [Smith] has come in and shown everyone, all the players, and even the fans can see his qualities as a manager," he said.
"We have been having a few jokes about the game in midweek, so I am sure he is as delighted as I am with the win."
Villa's win was secured thanks to a sensational solo run from right-back Alan Hutton, the 33-year-old's first goal at Villa Park in almost four years and a strike the player will never forget.
"I have been here for a long time and this club means so much to me. To be able to score is a dream come true for me," said the Scot.
"At the end of the day I am just happy we won. I like to contribute, obviously, so getting the goal is unbelievable.
"They put us under pressure from the word go, but if you look at our squad, we are always capable of coming back and we proved that today."
