FIGHT CLUB
ASTON VILLA v C PALACE Smith: This could be the end of our careers
DEAN SMITH has warned Aston Villa’s stars that their Premier League livelihoods are on the line.
The Villa Park boss has painted a bleak picture if the club fails in its bid to stay among the elite, suggesting the fall-out from relegation will have a major impact on his squad.
Smith says the evidence shows some of his players will be hitting a peak – and that once they disappear from the top division of English football they might never return.
Villa face a Crystal Palace side that has lost its last four outings – in desperate need of their first victory themselves since a last-gasp triumph over Watford in late January.
And Smith believes his players understand the price of failure. He said: “It’s not melodramatic to say the players are playing for their Premier League futures – not at all.
“They know there will be some who drop from this league into the Championship who never play in the Premier League again – and history proves that.
“They are more than aware of that, and that the consequences – professionally, emotionally and financially – will hit them hard.
Struggled
“Believe me, they are more than aware of the consequences of being relegated.”
One player who has struggled to regain form since football returned is Scotland star John Mcginn.
The midfielder was taken off on the hour against Manchester United and looked to be struggling with the pace of the game.
However, it has emerged he was hit with a secondary injury following on from the fractured ankle he suffered before Christmas during a fixture at Villa Park against Southampton.
Smith explained: “Prior to lockdown we were due to play Chelsea – John was fit and he would have been on the bench.
“But then he started to feel a pain in his shin. We sent him for a scan and we found another stress fracture, which delayed his return by another six weeks.
“He didn’t train at all during lockdown, but once we came back to small group training he joined in.
“However, he has been playing catch-up and it’s been difficult for him.
“I didn’t think he had his best 60 minutes against Manchester United but he did very well at Liverpool and I could see the old John Mcginn.”