Aston Villa have signed Josh Onomah on loan from Tottenham Hotspur for the season.
Onomah has not shown his best form for Villa in recent weeks, but the 20-year-old has remained in the starting line-up.
Villa fans have grown frustrated with Bruce’s failure to drop Onomah, with many calls for the Spurs youngster to be replaced by Callum O’’Hare in Bruce’s starting line-up.
But the experienced boss’s comments show why he feels Onomah is so vital.
He said: “He [Grealish] and Josh Onomah are the only two players who can pick the ball up between the lines and create problems.”
Grealish has been out for almost the entirety of the season so far, so Onomah’s rare quality makes him vital to Villa’s team.
Bruce obviously feels that Villa’s midfield could lack creativity, without Onomah’s creative ability and dribbling skill.
Grealish is now coming back to fitness, which could mean that Onomah does spend time on the sidelines.
In total, Onomah has made 20 appearances for Villa, and he has scored three times.
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