Aston Villa’s play-off hopes were dealt a blow as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Cardiff City.
Steve Bruce has suggested that he probably made a mistake not picking Gabby Agbonlahor in the starting line-up for Aston Villa’s clash with Cardiff City on Monday, the Birmingham Mail reports.
The Villans fell to a 1-0 defeat against the relegation candidates at the Cardiff City Stadium largely thanks to a poor first-half showing, during which time Joe Ralls bagged the game’s only goal.
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce
However, Villa looked more threatening in the second-half following the introduction of Agbonlahor, which may come as a surprise to some given the troubles he has endured in recent times.
And despite the defeat, Bruce was full of praise for the 30-year-old’s display and suggested that he was one of the few players who could hold his head up high following the game.
“Gabby was excellent and yes, maybe I should have played him from the start,” he said, as reported by the Mail.
“He did more in five minutes than what they all did in the first half so fair play to him.”
Aston Villa’s Gabriel Agbonlahor in action with Cardiff’s Sean Morrison
Though Agbonlahor is still awaiting his first goal of the season, Bruce will be delighted about the timing of his upturn in form.
Jonathan Kodjia is due to be away playing at the Africa Cup of Nations this month, while Rudy Gestede appears to be on the verge of completing a move to Middlesbrough during this window (via BBC Sport), so Bruce will perhaps need all of his remaining attacking players to step up.
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