Terry ‘touch and go’ for Leeds game

ASTON Villa captain John Terry is ‘touch and go’ for Friday night’s Villa Park showdown with Leeds United.

Terry, 37, picked up an ankle injury midway through the 3-1 defeat to Norwich City on Saturday but managed to see out the full 90 minutes.

He wasn’t fit enough for Tuesday night’s match against Cardiff City, though, and was replaced by Australian midfielder Mile Jedinak in Villa’s starting line-up as Jack Grealish downed the Bluebirds. “He’s got a twisted ankle and is touch and go for Friday,” Steve Bruce said. “If I was a betting man I can’t see it.”

Terry isn’t the only player Villa have fitness concerns over. Iceland international Birkir Bjarnason suffered a back injury in the warm up which saw Glenn Whelan drafted into the XI.

James Bree replaced Bjarnason in the squad having been excluded from the original 18 and was quickly brought on following Axel Tuanzebe’s early injury.

Tuanzebe has only made a handful of starts since joining from Manchester United on loan in January due to muscular injuries but his latest is believed to be a knock.

“There’s a challenge and the referee missed it, like he seemed to miss everything else,” Bruce added.

Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training facility will now be known as The Recon Training Complex.

The club have announced a five-year partnership that is the club’s first ever training ground sponsorship deal.

Villa’s chief executive Keith Wyness announced that the club believes the deal will help optimise performances on the pitch.

He said: “This partnership will guarantee that the club continues to develop best in class training facilities.

“Investment in our training ground is vital to optimising performance on the pitch and we are glad to be working with a long-term partner to create advantage at Aston Villa.”