Aston Villa's lengthy absentee list shows no signs of shrinking ahead of Stoke clash

Boss Dean Smith had been hopeful the 23-year-old, who has not featured since early December because of a bone stress injury, would be fit enough for a place on the bench at the bet365 Stadium.

But instead Grealish’s comeback has been postponed for at least another week. For now he remains part of a lengthy injury list which, while not wholly responsible for Villa’s loss of form, has surely been the largest factor.

The impact on the team, for example, is best demonstrated by the fact that of the 11 players who started the 3-0 win at Middlesbrough on December 1, just four were named in the line-up for last week’s 2-0 derby defeat to Albion.

Only Anwar El Ghazi and Neil Taylor, of the missing seven, were named on the bench against the Baggies.

Of the rest, Yannick Bolasie has left the club, while James Chester, Axel Tuanzebe, Orjan Nyland and Grealish are all currently in a treatment room which also contains Tom Carroll (hip) and Henri Lansbury (hamstring).

It is a list which could get even longer should goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic, injured in a clash with Albion’s Jake Livermore last weekend, fail to clear concussion protocol in time for the trip to the Potteries.

Smith will definitely be missing John McGinn from an already threadbare midfield, with the Scot out for the next two games through suspension. In such circumstances, Villa’s head coach can be forgiven for feeling he is a little short of options.

“It’s been tough, with the injuries we have had. John getting to 10 bookings hasn’t helped,” he said. “He’ll be a miss, but it’s an opportunity for others to be available and take the opportunity. We have capable players in this squad who haven’t had chances because of John’s form. They do now.”

Smith may opt to recall Birkir Bjarnason, or hand a first career start to 17-year-old Jacob Ramsey, for a clash between two of the Championship’s biggest underachievers.

Despite boasting hefty playing budgets, Villa and the Potters still find themselves off the pace, the latter down in 17th following a run of just one win 10 matches.

Stoke, now managed by Nathan Jones, have failed to score in their last two home games, while Villa are without a goal in three away matches.

“I think any club will go through bad runs in a season. It happens,” said Smith. “Sometimes it takes a lot of hard work and a bit of fortune to go your way, it can turn around very quickly.

“I have been here before. I don’t want to be here. I want to be winning football games. I think we have been harshly done by a few times when performances, while perhaps not as good as at Derby or Boro, were good enough to win games.

“We have missed some big chances and have also had some big decisions go against us.”