Adomah assured of Villa starting spot

The winger will be handed a first XI place next week after scoring twice on his first league start of the campaign

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce is excited by Albert Adomah's outstanding performance in the English Championship on Saturday.

The Ghanaian international registered a double as the Villans recorded a 3-0 away triumph over Barnsley at Oakwell Stadium.

And it was just the perfect response on his first league start of the season after three substitute appearances.

"I am delighted for Albert because the good thing about him is that he didn’t sulk when I left him out," Bruce said, as reported by his club's official website. "He has responded in the right way as if to say ‘don’t you dare leave me out anymore.’

"That’s the response you want – that comes with competition. "He’s bounced into it this week and he’s playing next week now too. How can I leave him out after that?"

Adomah's bench role was initiated by injury which forced him out of Villa's early games this campaign.

On his return, the 29-year-old struggled to reclaim a first team spot despite finishing last season among the club's best performers. "I am delighted with the win because we’ve been threatening it," Bruce added.

"We’ve threatened to do that to a few teams. "We had a little bit of luck when we needed it – Albert Adomah’s first goal in particular.

"But we stuck at it and we’ve got a very, very good result from the forward players." Thirteenth on the log after matchday eight, Villa have won only their second Championship game of the season.

The Claret and Blue Army will play host to Middleborough in the League Cup on Tuesday before taking on Nottingham Forest in the league next Saturday.