The Villans have got back to winning ways in recent weeks in the Championship, coinciding with Grealish’s return from injury.
Aston Villa ace John McGinn has spoken out about his side’s resurgent form and praised teammate Jack Grealish for having made such a big difference since his return.
Prior to the triumph over Derby County, the 23-year-old had not played since December 7 – the 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion – due to injury, and the Villans won just two of 13 games without him in their ranks.
Since his return, however, Villa have won three games on the trot – 4-0 over the Rams, 1-0 against rivals Birmingham City, and 3-1 at Nottingham Forest – as Grealish netted in each of the first two and also played well in the latter.
The result at the City Ground saw Dean Smith’s leapfrog Martin O’Neill’s Reds into eighth place in the Championship, two points behind sixth-placed Derby, and with nine games to go, the playoffs are once again a possibility.
“We now look a team with such attacking intent and having Jack back is massive difference,” McGinn is quoted by the Birmingham Mail as saying. “I am sure no-one will want to play us at the minute because of the confidence we are playing with.
“I think everyone is working just that little bit harder. We also weren’t getting some breaks which we probably are getting now… we are creating a few more chances and being clinical. Teams know we have a bit of momentum. They won’t be looking forward to playing us but at the same time we have to keep working hard.”
Up next for Villa is Saturday’s Championship home game against Middlesbrough, a team currently in the playoffs but suffering from indifferent form (TWTD) and which was hammered 3-0 by the West Midlanders in the reverse fixture back in December (BBC Sport).
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