Dean Smith could be without a whole host of Aston Villa first teamers.
Aston Villa could be without seven first-team players when they play host to Stoke City on Saturday afternoon, as Dean Smith told Villa’s YouTube channel that Jack Grealish is a doubt for the clash due to a shin injury.
Villa will be looking to make it seven games unbeaten on Saturday against Gary Rowett’s side, in what is Smith’s tenth game in charge for the Midlands outfit.
Jack Grealish picked up a shin injury against West Bromwich Albion last time out, and Smith confirmed that he is “struggling” to be fit for Saturday but did not rule out the playmaker featuring.
Smith also delivered updates on Albert Adomah, Neil Taylor, Henri Lansbury, Birkir Bjarnason, James Bree and Mile Jedinak, stating Adomah has a small chance of facing Stoke but the rest are sidelined.
“He’s struggling for Saturday, he’s got a shin injury. It doesn’t help when you’re the most fouled player in the division, being kicked from pillar to post,” Smith said on Grealish. “Albert [Adomah] has been jogging, but Saturday might come too quickly.
“Taylor is out with a hamstring injury. Neither Lansbury or Bjarnason will be ready for Stoke, but they could be ready for Leeds. James Bree is back on the training ground as well, Mile [Jedinak] is back next week.”
Since taking over at Villa, Smith has rejuvenated his side in the final third. In their last six games, Villa have scored 19 goals – an average of more than three per game.
A win over Stoke could see Villa creep ever closer towards the top six of the Championship by leapfrogging Nottingham Forest into seventh place, but they will have to hope Forest drop points against Derby County on Monday night.
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