Aston Villa face Championship rivals Middlesbrough in the third round of the League Cup.
There is no question that Steve Bruce managed to silence many of his critics at the weekend as his Aston Villa side strolled to a 3-0 win over Barnsley at Oakwell to secure only their second Championship win of the season.
However, he may still be worried about the lack of goals coming from his strikers, with Keinan Davis the only forward to have scored while playing up front – he opened his account against Barnsley on Saturday – while Gabby Agbonlahor bagged an opening day goal while playing on the wing.
With Jonathan Kodjia only just returning from injury, Bruce would perhaps therefore be wise to consider handing outcast Ross McCormack his first start of the season when they take on Middlesbrough in the League Cup this week.
McCormack’s stock has perhaps never been lower one year after his £12 million move (via BBC Sport) but he remains at Villa Park following a transfer window where there was plenty of speculation surrounding his future.
Bruce handing McCormack a start – or substitute appearance for that matter – against Boro may give the Scotsman the kind of confidence, especially if he makes an impact, that may be beneficial if they endure another evening in future like they did against Garry Monk’s men in the league last week when the ball simply would not go in despite a host of glorious chances.
And by selecting him against Boro, he would also take some of the pressure off Kodjia who, while Villa fans will be desperate to see return to full fitness as quickly as possible, Bruce may want to take a cautious approach with to ensure that he is not rushed back.
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