GABBY IS IN THE RUNNING FOR BIG DERBY
GABBY Agbonlahor is fit and available for selection ahead of his favourite game of the season this weekend.
The 31-year-old loves the Second City derby and was the match-winner in the same fixture last term.
Agbonlahor’s late strike against Blues in April was the difference but he’s played just 310 minutes of competitive action in nine months since.
Boss Steve Bruce admitted that he’s got a difficult decision to make when he picks the squad this week.
Scott Hogan will keep his starting place after scoring five goals in his last five outings but Keinan Davis and Lewis Grabban are both also in contention.
Bruce said: “Gabby’s only just got back to fitness but he’s available for selection.
“I’ve got some very difficult decisions to make. But don’t forget I picked him for the very first game of the season (when he scored). He came out of the team because he had an injury and hasn’t been able to get back in and settled.
“The team have done very very well so it’s been difficult for him to get back involved.
“It’s not just Gabby, though. I’ve had to leave some other senior players out.
“But only a few weeks ago I was having to call up a kid (Rushian Hepburn-Murphy) on a Saturday morning before the Middlesbrough game.”
It’s well known that Agbonlahor loves this occasion and last season it was his introduction from the bench that changed a previously-dull encounter.
He’s scored five goals against Villa’s bitter rivals over the years, three of them winners.
Agbonlahor missed the 0-0 draw at St Andrew’s earlier in the season through injury but he still travelled with the squad and was a vocal presence in the dressing room before the game.
Getting in the matchday 18 this time around could be even more difficult with so much competition, though. But Bruce insists he will consider him.
“Gabby has got nothing to prove to me,” he said.
“Unfortunately it’s been a stopstart season for him.
“The same as the last two or three seasons in truth.
“But he’s fit and he will do everything he can to get in the team which is the most important thing.
“He’s only just got back to fitness, though, so he’s got to stay there. He’s picked up some horrible injuries this year which have been frustrating for him.”