Aston Villa boss Dean Smith: Jack Grealish's England call will come

Grealish was not called up for Gareth Southgate’s last England squad.

And as the 24-year-old prepares to return from a calf injury against Newcastle United, Smith says all his man can control are his own performances.

He said: “We’ve had three international periods now and each time there has been speculation about him getting in there and he hasn’t.

“So the message has been: ‘Just keep playing’.

“You saw in October he was nominated for October player of the month, such was his form, so he all he can do is that.

“If he does that then he will make the people who make the decisions eventually pick him.

“He’s not in control of whether they pick him.

“All he can control is his own performance.”

Grealish picked up that calf injury in the 3-0 defeat at Manchester City last month.

Villa lost 2-1 to Liverpool late on and suffered a 2-1 reverse at Wolves without the midfielder.

And Smith explained what he felt they missed without him.

He said: “He’s a top player, against Liverpool we lost his ball retention. I have no doubt that had he been on that pitch being 1-0 up with 10 minutes to go, he’d have bought some fouls and would have retained the ball in the top-half of the pitch for us.

“He didn’t and we ended up losing the game.

“Wolves? Listen, if he’d have played like the others we would have got nothing out of it.”

And when he returns Smith wants to see him add goals to his assist tally.

He said: “He’s a top player, bringing goals to his game as well as assists now and that’s all he can keep doing.”