Steven Gerrard makes Tim Iroegbunam promise after first Aston Villa start

Aston Villa head coach Steven Gerrard has lavished praise on Tim Iroegbunam after the teenager made his first Premier League start in the 2-0 win over Norwich City this afternoon.

Villa ended a five-match winless run by beating Norwich at Villa Park thanks to goals from Ollie Watkins and Danny Ings. And 18-year-old Iroegbunam played his part in the victory after replacing Douglas Luiz from the draw with Leicester City last time out.

Gerrard said of the midfielder: "I thought Tim had some really good moments today. I think you can see the profile, what he is going to become. He can get around the grass quickly, he can cover ground quickly, he’s aggressive.

"Normally he uses the ball really well. He had one or two moments within that, but I think that’s part of learning and growing. We trusted him in a big game today and gave him an opportunity.

Gerrard added: "We sent a clear message to all of our academy that if you train well and you out-train certain individuals then you will get an opportunity. Everyday is vital for Tim now. He’s a real good professional, he needs to find his voice and come out of his shell now. We need him to realise that he is a first-team player. He needs to use his voice more, he needs to keep pushing himself on a daily basis.

"He’s got all the attributes to be a top Premier League player in my opinion. We’ll keep working to develop him, he’s got a real exciting future ahead of him. He needs to take confidence and belief from the trust and opportunities he has had in recent weeks and there will be plenty more for him if he keeps training consistently well."