The Scottish midfielder has been playing left-back in Aston Villa’s training sessions this week.
Dean Smith has admitted to Aston Villa’s official website that he has been using midfielder John McGinn as a left-back in training this week.
Aston Villa visit Stoke City in the Championship tomorrow but McGinn will play no part due to suspension.
The Scotland midfielder, banned for picking up 10 yellow cards, has been a revelation since joining the Villans from Hibernian last summer.
But Smith believes that his absence opens the door for somebody else to impress in the build-up to visiting the Potteries.
“He’ll be a miss, but it’s an opportunity for others to be available and take the opportunity,” he told Aston Villa’s website.
“He’s a loss because he’s been playing well. But we have capable players in this squad who haven’t had chances because of John’s form. They do now.
“I’ve even been putting John at left-back in training this week! He’s missing for two games so I haven’t needed him in central midfield in training.”
Smith’s side are enduring a four-match winless run at the moment, with their last victory coming at home to Ipswich Town on January 26.
It’s a disappointing run of form which has put paid to Villa’s hopes of nicking a playoff spot for the most part.
Aston Villa are 10th in the Championship and nine points adrift of the top six at the moment, but Bristol City in sixth have two games in hand.
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