The Aston Villa midfielder has a shoulder injury but Steve Bruce’s side have done well without him thus far.
Aston Villa fans will have been disappointed to see Mile Jedinak leave the pitch just 26 minutes into their Championship clash against Ipswich Town on Saturday, but do Steve Bruce’s side really need the Australia international?
After all, Villa coped brilliantly during Jedinak’s earlier absence, surging up the table and ensuring that, when he did finally return to full fitness, he was a bit-part player at best.
John Terry’s injury and the decision to rest Chris Samba saw Jedinak start at centre-back on Saturday, but the simple fact is Villa do not need the 33-year-old the way they might have previously.
With Glenn Whelan and Conor Hourihane excelling in the centre of the park and Samba proving his doubters wrong alongside James Chester, Villa will be hoping they can continue to impressive promotion push even with Jedinak facing another spell on the side-lines.
It is an indication of just how far Villa have come under Bruce and is testament to how some of their much-maligned players have upped their game accordingly.
That is not to say Jedinak will not have a major role to play in the future, especially at the business end of the campaign. Yet Villa’s form without him shows they can now cope even when injury strikes some of their most experienced stars.
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