Jack Grealish must be thrust straight back into Dean Smith’s starting XI as Aston Villa bid to keep their European dreams alive. That’s the view of Gabby Agbonlahor, who says Villa’s head coach must resist any temptation to ease his captain back into action after more than a month out with injury. But having been one of the league’s best-performing players this season, Grealish will hope to rediscover his form in the final 10 games
Gabby Agbonlahor said: “It’s massive. It’s good to see that he would have had a good week training. I think every Villa fan out there is just relieved really. After recent performances, everyone will be relieved. It’s the sort of game that would be perfect for him. Fulham are going to be playing attacking football because they will be looking to get three points to stay up. It’s going to leave a lot of space for Villa on the counter-attack. I think it’s going to be a really good game and a good game for him to come straight back into. I think he’ll be straight back in that starting line up. I don’t think he’ll be eased back in. There are only 10 games left so I think he’ll be starting.”
Five points from six games has damaged Villa’s cause, but the league table suggests it’s retrievable at this stage.
