After an impressive reserve display, Bruce comments on Villa midfielder’s chances of selection

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One forgotten man at Villa Park is hoping to return to prominence in the coming weeks.

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has commented on Jordan Lyden’s starring role for the club’s Under-23 side, and suggested that he could be handed first-team chances in the final weeks of the season, as reported by the Birmingham Mail.

Lyden broke into the senior set-up at Villa Park last season, making his debut in an FA Cup tie in January 2016 and going on to make six appearances in all competitions, including two Premier League starts.

However, he has struggled desperately with injury this term, and played his first minutes of football in over five months in the reserve clash with Wolves earlier this month.

His return was a dramatic one. First, he scored a superb equaliser, and then he won the penalty from which Villa scored their winner.

Though he has barely played this term, he showed enough last season – in Villa’s worst season in many supporters’ living memory, no less – to suggest that he has the talent to succeed in the senior set-up.

After he was left out of the reserve side’s game on Monday, Bruce admitted that he and his coaching staff have to tread carefully with the Australian’s fitness, but suggested that he could well play a part in the first team in the season run-in if he is up to it.

Bruce said, via the Birmingham Mail: “He was a little bit sore so we erred on the side of caution. He trained yesterday, we’ve got to err with caution on the type of injury he’s got.

“We’ve got to just box clever. He was a bit stiff and a bit sore but he’s trained the last few days and I’ve been very impressed with the kid. He’s a good player. The first thing he’s got to do is get himself fit and we’re doing everything we possibly can to get him fit.

“If he gets fit, then he’s got an outstanding chance to be in and around it. I saw him in the under-23s at Wolves and he’s been doing really well at training.”

Villa do not appear to be in any danger of either flirting with relegation or disturbing the play-off race, and so with nine games left, the run-in could be a perfect time for Bruce to reintroduce Lyden to his matchday squads.

It remains to be seen whether Bruce will deem the 21-year-old fit enough for a place on the bench as his side travel to face the manager’s former club Wigan Athletic on Saturday.