Two of the Championship’s most in-form club do battle at Villa Park. Norwich manager Alan Irvine has his Canaries just five points from a play-off spot.
Aston Villa host Norwich on Saturday, in a good test on where the claret and blue stand following the international break. The week and a half off allowed the club’s injured players more time to recover from various physical ailments.
For Villa, Gabby Agbonlahor, Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, and Birkir Bjarnason are presumably still unavailable. Moreover, Leandro Bacuna continues his six match suspension.
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Everyone else, though, should be available. Mile Jedinak may be gassed after a twenty-two hour flight from Sydney, Australia. The Socceroos captain traveled from Birmingham, to Tehran (neutral site match against Iraq), before home to Australia where he played 89 minutes in a 2-0 victory against UAE. Then, back to Villa Park!
For Norwich, Wes Hoolahan is unavailable after picking-up a bad thigh injury on Ireland duty.
Left back Mitchell Dijks is suspended following a red card in a previous league match.
Both clubs will seemingly play at less than 100 percent.
PROJECTED ASTON VILLA XI (4-3-3): Johnstone; Bree, Chester (c), Baker, Taylor; Jedinak, Lansbury, Hourihane; Adomah, Kodjia, Green.
Substitutes: Bunn, Elphick, Hutton, Amavi, Gardner, Grealish, Hogan.
Steve Bruce must weigh the risk and reward situation regarding both Scott Hogan and Jonathan Kodjia. Can he find the proper balance starting both strikers?
Should he start both, expect Mile Jedinak in central defense in place of Nathan Baker. A 4-4-2 system leaves too much midfield space for the immobile legs of Jedinak – unless played in a diamond position.
I covered here why we should all hop on the André Green hype train. The 18-year old is the real deal.
Albert Adomah starts in his preferred right wing, where he supports the leading scorer, Jonathan Kodjia. Neil Taylor, following a horrific leg breaking tackle on Everton’s Seamus Coleman, displaces Jordan Amavi once again at left back.
Next: Aston Villa: Andre Green Is Good, Really Good
Kickoff is 10:00AM Eastern Time.