Alan Sheehan claims Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish is ‘the best player in the Championship’

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Aston Villa have struggled to prove their worth in recent weeks without their star man Jack Grealish

Luton Town defender Alan Sheehan has boldly claimed that Aston Villa ace Jack Grealish is ‘the best player in the Championship’.

The duo played alongside each other during their time at then-League One side Notts County during the 2013/14 season, when Grealish was still a teenager.

Sheehan stated that Dean Smith’s side have been struggling in recent weeks because they have been without their main man in the middle of the park.

The Hatters defender mentioned Villa’s ‘great results’ against the likes of Birmingham, Derby and Middlesbrough this season, games Grealish was involved in, but they have been unable to replicate those performances without him.

“For me, he is the best player in the Championship,” Sheehan told EFL Matters on Sky Sports on 14/02/2019 at 19:25 pm. “When Dean Smith took over before he got injured at West Brom, I was watching a few of their games and they were starting to dictate possession.

“The way Dean Smith’s teams like Walsall and Brentford have done in the past. They can do that with Jack Grealish. They had a great result against Birmingham, Derby County and Boro away then he got injured.

“And I think they have won two without him, so for me if Villa are going to challenge, they need him back, as soon as possible.”

Playmaker Grealish has been on the sidelines since his side’s 2-2 draw at bitter rivals West Brom in December, with Darren Moore’s side visiting Villa Park this Saturday.

Nonetheless, in his absence, Smith’s side have won only two games and have fallen further behind the play-off pack as their chances of finishing in the top six are slimming by the week.

During his time at Notts County, Grealish played 39 games, scoring five goals and supplying his teammates with seven assists, according to transfermarkt.

Over the course of this season, he has played 21 league matches, scoring two goals, including against the Blues and supplying four assists along the way.