New Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier hailed the impact of Emile Heskey after the striker scored a late winner at Wolves with a powerful header.Heskey, signed by Houllier at Liverpool in March 2000, was making his first Premier League start since 24 March.
"All I ask of him is that he believes in himself because he has tremendous assets," said Houllier of Heskey.
"All strikers need a lot of confidence and when Emile is feeling confident, then he is awesome."
Heskey had turned the course of Wednesday's Carling Cup tie against Blackburn after coming on as a second-half substitute.
And it was a brilliant header at Molineux on Sunday from the 32-year-old, who climbed above Christophe Berra to convert a cross from Stephen Warnock to secure a 2-1 victory for Villa.
Wolves were 'punished' - McCarthy
"I don't know whether he believes in me but I believe in him. That is more important," added Houllier, who was presiding over his second match in charge at Villa after the victory over Rovers.
"Because he plays upfront and sometimes misses sitters, people get on his back and maybe that has hurt him in the past.
"But Emile fights for the ball in the air, tries to keep it and links up with the midfield.
"His work-rate was phenomenal today and his understanding and movement with Ashley Young is good."
But Wolves boss Mick McCarthy was unhappy that Villa full-back Warnock, who crossed for Heskey to score, had earlier escaped a second booking for a late challenge on Kevin Doyle.
"We have been done by a really good goal but should they guy who crossed the ball still have been on the pitch?" said McCarthy.
"It was a great header from Heskey but we have been punished harshly for some of our tackles this season."
Heskey - the man, the myth, the legend
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Stewart Downing had put Villa ahead in the opening half, tucking home a superb cross from Marc Albrighton, before a cross from Matt Jarvis after the restart eluded everyone before nestling in the bottom corner.
Wolves appeared to have a measure of control of the contest in the second half, before Heskey struck.
"The Premier League is brutal, if you do not do your job properly until the end then you will get punished," added McCarthy.
"Villa battered us in the first half, we changed it at half-time and played three up front. We should have got something from the game."
Wolves have now lost their last three Premier League games, with the reverse against Villa following defeats against Fulham and Tottenham.
"We have played better than three defeats suggests," added the Wolves boss. "But the fact of the matter is that it is three defeats. It sticks in everybody's mind and in my craw."
Source: BBC Sport
Source: BBC Sport