Sheffield United vs Aston Villa: Steve Bruce has a selection headache
Villa head to Sheffield United tonight in better shape than at perhaps any other point of the season.
A run of four consecutive league wins and the accompanying performances are not the only reason for increasing optimism around the club.
The sense things are falling nicely into place for Steve Bruce’s men is further strengthened by an injury list which – after reaching its peak prior to the 1-0 win at Middlesbrough a month ago – has shrunk dramatically.
Striker Jonathan Kodjia is now the only long-term absentee and though Chris Samba remains sidelined, having only recently returned to training following a hamstring injury, the big defender is closing in on full fitness.
It all marks quite a considerable turnaround in fortunes for Bruce, who was without nine first-team players for the trip to the Riverside but now has a rather welcome headache again.
“The biggest thing I have is competition,” said the boss. “A few players are rattling on the door to get back in the team.”
Among the most encouraging trends has been the number of players who have grasped the chance to force their way into Villa’s starting XI.
Albert Adomah, Conor Hourihane and Scott Hogan have all experienced time out of the team, only to come back stronger. The latest to claim a place, Birkir Bjarnason, is set to keep it for the trip to Bramall Lane.
“I had to leave Birkir in the team for the sake of the squad,” said Bruce. “Birkir came on against Forest and we all thought ‘Wow, what a performance that was’.
“He deserved to play in the next game. The whole squad is geared up now.
“There is a good spirit among them to have a crack at what we are trying to achieve. It’s taken a bit of time to get there and get the right balance.
“We are all focused on what we want to achieve. We all want to get this club to the next level.”
Bruce continued: “It takes time. It’s about getting the right individuals. The right squad. It’s a good dressing room at the minute, which is vitally important.
“I think it is imperative. Without it, it doesn’t happen.
“You can have talented players but if they don’t have that spirit. We have a good group of players who are all pushing in the same direction. That maybe has not always been the case here.”
The Blades dropped to seventh in the table, four points behind Villa, following a weekend in which they progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup thanks to a 1-0 win over Preston.