Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce hailed Grant Hanley’s display in the heart of the defence as ‘one of our man of the matches’ and knows the importance of the cub’s young guns for the future.

Allardyce bravely opted to hand Hanley and Amine Linganzi their Premier League debuts at Villa Park – and neither disappointed as the youth revolution gathers pace at Rovers.

Having already seen the emergence of the likes of Steven Nzonzi, Junior Hoilett, Phil Jones, Martin Olsson and Nikola Kalinic this campaign, yesterday’s debutants gave Allardyce even more food for thought.

He said: said: “Another two young men getting their opportunity to express themselves in the Premier League which is great for us.

“Grant Hanley was one of our man of the matches with his debut, and it was nearly as good as a debut as Phil Jones against Chelsea for me.”

He added: “The younger players have blossomed so much.

"It has been an outstanding bonus for us because breeding your own means they have a better and stronger affinity to the club than the ones you bring in.

“Hopefully that will create a bigger and better team spirit. Their asset values are important.

"We will always be a selling club now, now God his rest his soul Jack is not with us.

"All we can do is hang on to these players as long as we possibly can and develop them as best as we possibly can.

“No doubt if they continue to play like they are – one day someone will have to resist someone coming to take them off us.”