Aston Villa captain John McGinn has reportedly returned to training after suffering a knee injury in January.
The 31-year-old sustained the setback in our defeat to Everton on January 18, and he has since undergone a procedure with a view of getting himself fit for our run-in as well as the World Cup this summer.
Villa’s form has alarmingly dipped in recent weeks since McGinn and fellow midfielders Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans all suffered injury blows, and so Unai Emery will be desperate to welcome our skipper back first, with Tielemans hopefully not too far behind.
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According to The Express and Star, McGinn has now returned to training in what is a major boost for Villa, and so it will be interesting to see if he’s included in the matchday squad when we face Lille in the Europa League on Thursday night.
That could arguably come too soon for him as we also don’t want to rush him back, and so it’s possibly more likely that he’ll return against Manchester United in a crunch Premier League encounter on Sunday.
Either way, it’s so important to get him back given the influence and impact he is capable of having in the side in both phases, and we’ve certainly missed his leadership, ability to set the tone and to drive us forward on the pitch.
McGinn has five goals and four assists in 29 appearances so far this season, and coupled with the defensive work and intensity he brings to the team, he’ll be a vital presence in the line-up once again to hopefully help add balance and solidity as well as quality in the attacking third.
Despite our desperately poor form in recent weeks, we’re still well placed to achieve our remaining objectives in finishing in the top five in the Premier League and advancing in Europe, but the room for error has undoubtedly now been wiped out and we have to put together a strong run of form between now and the end of the campaign.
