Tom Carroll has been out of action since early-February with a hip injury, but Birmingham Live believe he could return in time to face Stoke City on Saturday. The Aston Villa midfielder has made just one appearance since his loan move from Swansea City last month – coming off the bench in a 0-0 draw with Reading on February 2 – so he’ll be dying to make his comeback on the weekend.
Villa have also been boosted by the news that Jack Grealish could make the bench against the Potters. The Midlands outfit have only managed two wins in the two months he was sidelined with a shin injury. Smith’s men are coming off the back of consecutive defeats without scoring, so he’ll be delighted to have more creativity at his disposal in Grealish and Carroll.
The Midlands outfit are struggling for form of late and have taken a bit hit to their promotion hopes. Villa currently sit 10th in the Championship with 44 points from 33 games, nine adrift of the playoffs. The top-six have played fewer fames than Smith’s men too, so they could fall further behind the sides in the playoffs if results go against them.
Crippy Cooke’s previous article
Aston Villa man ‘may be available’ to face Stoke City, player is ‘working on fitness’
