Steve Bruce lauds Aston Villa ace’s performance in defeat

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Aston Villa’s Championship play-off hopes were dealt a blow as they suffered a disappointing defeat.

Steve Bruce has suggested, in comments reported by the Daily Mail, that Jack Grealish was the best player on the pitch during Aston Villa’s defeat to Derby County at the weekend, but added that he needed to have more end product in his game.

It has been a difficult season for Grealish with a number of months spent on the sidelines after rupturing a kidney in pre-season – and the clash with the Rams saw the playmaker make his first start of the season.

It was a disappointing afternoon for the Villans, with goals from Andreas Weimann and Johnny Russell seeing Derby secure an important victory that leaves them four points clear of Villa in the Championship table.

But despite being on the losing side, Bruce insisted that the most impressive performance came from one of his own players.

“Jack was head and shoulders the best player,” he said, as reported by the Mail.

“If he’d had an end product, it would have been a scintillating show. It’s up to me and my staff to find a system for him.”

Having Grealish back at his best will certainly provide a boost for Villa as they look to end their poor run of form that has seen them go three games without a win and open the door for the chasing pack just outside the play-off places in the second tier.

And Aston Villa face another team in the play-off places this weekend as they host Sheffield United – and both teams will know that not winning could see them end the afternoon outside of the top six.