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Predicted Villa XI: Smith brings back 25-year-old, while £8.5m man starts

Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images
Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images
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Photo by Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images

Aston Villa return to action on Wednesday knowing that there is little margin for error for them between now and the end of the season.

Villa are currently sat two points away from safety, but if they are able to beat Sheffield United in midweek they will immediately move out of the drop zone.

That would be a huge boost for Dean Smith’s side going into the final nine games of the campaign.

Smith is at least boosted by the news that some of his key players are now fit again.

The return of John McGinn should improve Villa considerably, and the Scot will surely walk straight back into Smith’s starting line-up.

Ian Cook – CameraSport/CameraSport via Getty Images

Elsewhere, there are plenty of places up for grabs though, and it will be interesting to see which Villa players are given the nod.

Picking who plays alongside McGinn could be a tough task, but Douglas Luiz may just be given the nod ahead of Conor Hourihane.

Anwar El Ghazi also looks the most likely starter on the right-flank, while £8.5 million signing Ally Samatta (BBC Sport) will surely continue up-front. 

Smith’s other dilemma is in goal, where Orjan Nyland and Pepe Reina are competing for a place.

Reina has not looked particularly reliable since stepping into Villa’s starting line-up, but Smith seems to have more faith in him than Nyland, and it could be the Spaniard just about is given the nod.

Predicted Villa XI: Pepe Reina; Matt Targett, Tyrone Mings, Bjorn Engels, Frederic Guilbert; Marvelous Nakama, Douglas Luiz, John McGinn; Jack Grealish, Anwar El Ghazi, Ally Samatta.