Time running out for Aston Villa to mount play-off charge

Last Friday night’s remarkable fightback against Sheffield United was merely the best example to date.

Yet it will require an even greater effort between now and May if Dean Smith’s team are to clamber from their current position and into the Championship play-offs.

When Villa kick-off at Brentford tonight, the gap between themselves and the top six will be no fewer than six points. Not a huge margin, with almost a third of the season remaining, yet still a significant one of which it will require some effort to overhaul.

Only once since the turn of the century has a team finished in the play-off positions with fewer than 70 points.

That would mean Villa, with 44 points from 31 games, needing a minimum of nine wins over their remaining 15 fixtures to give themselves a fighting chance of a top-six finish.

Smith and his team will rightly view such an achievement as within their capabilities. But when you consider they currently only have 10 wins to their name, it does rather highlight the scale of the improvement required, together with the fact time is rapidly running out to make a run.

Too many draws have been the problem. No-one in the division has now drawn more games than the 14 recorded by Villa, whose record includes seven in the last 11 matches.

Tonight’s trip to Brentford and Saturday’s visit of Albion represent a potentially pivotal few days.

“We want to win games. We know how important it is to propel us up the league and keep us in the play-off picture,” said Smith.

“Friday night was another unbeaten game. That is just two defeats in 16 now. But we need to start turning these draws into wins.”

Midfielder Tom Carroll is likely to miss out with a strain, while skipper James Chester could again be rested with his ongoing knee injury.

“I gave James a break at Reading and I gave him a break against Sheffield United,” said Smith. “He has swelling on the knee and we need to remove that for him to be a fit and healthy player for us.”

The early form of deadline day loan signing Tyrone Mings means Chester’s loss has not been felt as sharply as it otherwise would have been. Mings will again partner Tommy Elphick in the heart of Villa’s defence.

Glenn Whelan and Andre Green could both come into the team, following their impressive cameo appearances in Friday night’s fightback.

Jack Grealish and Henri Lansbury remain out.