UNPREDICTABLE BOLASIE HAS THE QUALITY TO INSPIRE VILLA

THE time has surely come for Aston Villa to unleash Yannick Bolasie on the rest of the Championship. So far, the 29-yearold has appeared only from the bench. That’s understandable – he snapped his cruciate just months after joining Everton for £25m in 2016. For a player so reliant on pace and mobility it was the worst possible injury, and the road back to fitness has been slow and painful. Yet Bolasie’s introduction from the bench against Derby last weekend was the spark that turned dominance into victory – and then victory into a rout. With the exception of a tardy goal rate, he is the complete package as a winger; fast, skilful, powerful and unpredictable. Much is made of Wilfried Zaha’s importance to Crystal Palace, but since Bolasie’s departure to Everton, the Eagles have never looked as fluent or dangerous. Indeed, it was the threat of Bolasie that prevented Zaha from being targeted the way he is now. The bloke is a Premier League player all ends up and, fully fit, the most potent in Villa’s glittering squad.