Boss won’t be stuck in the middle
VILLA boss Dean Smith is considering shaking up his midfield to face Leeds United on Sunday at Elland Road.
Smith had just three central midfield players available for last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Stoke City – Glenn Whelan, Conor Hourihane and John McGinn.
But with Henri Lansbury, Mile Jedinak and Birkir Bjarnason all likely to be back for the clash with the Championship leaders, Smith is thinking about changes.
However, one man who isn’t expected to make the game this weekend is Jack Grealish, who needs extra time to recover from a shin injury.
“From where we have been, light on numbers, hopefully next week will give us food for thought,” Smith said.
“We had seven injuries for Saturday’s game, Grealish included. I’m hoping for Leeds United that Bjarnason, Lansbury and Jedinak will be back.
“Albert Adomah should be back, too. When you’ve got players of that quality out it will affect the levels of training as well.”
Bjarnason started the first three games of Smith’s reign before suffering a groin injury which required surgery and has kept him sidelined for nearly two months, but he is the most likely to come back in.
The head coach has also been impressed with Lansbury in behind-closed-doors friendlies, too, and is willing to see what he can do in a matchday situation.
He came on in the 4-2 win over Blues last month but lasted just eight minutes as he sustained a hamstring injury.
One of Lansbury’s two goals for Villa came against Leeds last season.