Duo Return
While Aston Villa have coped admirably with their growing injury-list over the past few weeks, if they had lost their only remaining fit striker, Keinan Davis, there may have been serious trouble ahead over December.
Thankfully though, in the run up to the Millwall game is the news of reinforcements to Steve Bruce’s front line.
Both Gabby Agbonlahor and Scott Hogan are back in full training and the Villa boss will make a late decision whether or not to include them in the matchday squad for the visit of Millwall.
Agbonlahor was expected to be back this week, in what must be his last season at Villa.
The 31-year-old has missed a lot of the past few seasons due to injury, questionable fitness and poor form. He hasn’t played since the Brentford game back in September.
Agbonlahor would need a minor miracle to earn a new contract, but a memorable swan song is in the offing, if he steps up to the plate. Bruce has refused to give-up on Gabby since he became Villa boss, so he may get more opportunities.
At the same time, opportunity knocks for the until now disappointing Scott Hogan. The ex-Brentford striker has had rotten luck with injury (although the player was well-known for being injury-prone before Villa splashed out on him), with Jonathan Kodjia out, the past few weeks would have given him the perfect opportunity to prove himself.
With the games coming thick and fast over the winter period, Hogan will still hope to win over the increasingly disillusioned Villa faithful, who have started to write him off.
At least now Villa will be able to have a striker on the bench. In terms of our recent forward injuries, that’s actually progress!
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